End of the road
by KissKendrick
Summary: What started out as an ordinary day, ends tragically. The world, their world, is not what it was just 24 hrs. before. They weren't prepared, no one was. Not even the ones people called crazy because they tried to prepare for it. No, they weren't ready. Now, they are alone, and have no choice but to learn to live in this new world. Either that, or its the end of the road for them.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: We were driving a few weeks ago, and this first scene popped into my head. I wrote it when I got home and decided I would post it, and see what everyone thinks. If ya'll like it, I will continue, but it wont be my first priority when it comes to updating. I have two other stories in progress as well as a two year old story, im so close to finishing. So if you like this and want me to continue please REVIEW and give me your thoughts. And no. this is not a Jeca. It's a Bechloe. Also, if you want, please visit my tumblr, it's the same name. Kisskendrick. There I have a GoFundMe, and if you spread the word, that would be amazing. Thanks everyone.**

Her breath came out in sharp gasps as her feet pounded against the gravel driveway. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, mixing with the blood that was dripping from somewhere on her head, over her face. Using the back of her hand she swiped it away as it came dangerously close to getting in her eyes. A broken sob escaped her lips, as she sped up, getting closer to the truck that would take her away from there. A set of keys were held tightly in her hand as she ran, wishing this dumb driveway wasn't so long. Her converse clad feet skidded the last few feet as she didn't dare slow down too soon. She grabbed the door handle to the truck and wretched the door open, throwing herself inside and slamming the door.

With shaking, fumbling fingers she struggled to separate the truck key from the others on the chain, before jamming it into the ignition and listening to the heavenly sound of it roaring to life. Putting into reverse she threw her arm over the back of the passenger seat and hit the gas, sending the large truck screeching down the driveway. Dirt and rocks flying from under the tires, and she expertly maneuvered it down the winding driveway before yanking it to the right and pulling out onto the road, putting it in drive before it even fully stopped and shooting down the darkening road. The sun was setting, but the overcast skies didn't allow the sunset to show, giving the early evening an even eerier feeling. One that, if she had thought about it, fit perfectly with the situation she was in.

She gripped the steering wheel, navigating the winding mountain road easily. _'Meet at the end of the road,'_ She whispered to herself. _'End of the road. End of the road,'_

She let go of the wheel just long enough to wiper her eyes, feeling the stinging of the blood hitting them. She wasn't sure exactly where she was bleeding, but she knew it was somewhere on her head.

The end of the road, where she was headed was a dead end. One that could be reached from the house she just left, if you went through the woods, behind it. It took maybe five minutes, if you ran, to reach it. Longer if you walked. However, she knew walking was the last option.

She passed the yellow triangular sign, telling her the road was ending soon, and began scanning the trees, whispering under her breath. She slowed just enough to be able to jerk the wheel and turn the truck around in one try, not daring to put it in park. She rolled her window down, breathing labored as two blue, terrified eyes peered through the trees.

"Come on." She whispered. "Come on."

Then she saw him. She felt some air return to her lungs and she screamed. "Jesse, come on!" She reached out banging on the side of the truck. "Hurry!"

She could see the fear on his face, the dirt, the dark black eye. The blood. "Hurry!" She yelled again as his feet hit the gravel road and instead of circling the truck, he jumped over the side, into the bed of it. "Go, go, go!" he yelled, looking back at the trees in terror. He could see them.

She hit the gas and he fell backwards at the sudden jolt. He wouldn't tell her to slow down though. Not in a million years. If anything, he wanted her to go faster. He balanced himself as much as he could and made it to the back window of the truck and watched as she reached back and unlocked it so he could slide it open, the climb through.

By the time he plopped down into the passenger seat, closing and locking the window, his breathing was returning too normal. Looking next to him, he could see the dangerous amount of blood running down the side of her face. Her hair matted to her head. "Let me drive." He said reaching over to touch her arm and to his dismay she flinched away from him.

"It's okay, come on." He said gently, but she kept her eyes trained on the road, passing the driveway she had fled from. Continuing in the opposite direction.

"You're bleeding, you can't drive like this, I can take over." He said. She didn't slow down, if anything she sped up, setting her jaw.

He sighed. "Beca, you saved us. I know…I mean, I don't. I don't know what you are feeling, but I know you are scared. So am I. I don't know what is happening, but I do know that because of you, we are alive. You saved us, you saved me. And you are hurt. So please, pull the truck over, and let me drive."

He could see her lower lip tremble and she squeezed the wheel before he could feel the truck slowing down.

He thought she was going to stop, but she didn't. She slowed to about fifteen miles per hour, before looking at him and he understood. Throwing his leg over, he placed his foot over the gas and took the wheel. Together, she was able to move into the passenger seat, while he took the driver's seat. Picking up speed again, as he turned a corner onto another road.

Beca locked the passenger door and from the corner of his eye he could see her bringing her knees up to her chest, where she hugged them, resting her head on her knees. He couldn't begin to imagine what was going through her head. What started out as a normal day, turned into the absolute worst nightmare and because of the small girl, cowering in the seat next to him, he was alive. She kept him alive. He owed her his life.

Reaching out he turned on the radio, hoping to hear something, but all he got was either static or the bone chilling sound of the emergency alert signal. He could see her tensing beside him and turned it back off, muttering a soft 'Sorry.'

He didn't know where he was going, as he glanced down at the dash. The truck had a little over half a tank of gas. They would need more. Soon.

As they drove through the winding mountain roads of their small hometown, everything began to disappear, as the darkness seemed to swallow it completely. There wasn't usually very much traffic at this time, but they hadn't passed a single car or person. This worried them more than it would have any other day. As the truck neared the top of the ridge, that overlooked the town, Beca looked up. Jesse's eyes grew and his breath caught as he slowed the truck down to a stop at the top of the hill.

Beca let her legs go and she leaned forward slightly, her already troubled eyes taking in sight before her. The small town below them, that would on a normal night, be lit by cars, and the few larger business, was practically glowing. Multiple fires, spread across the small town. They could see the lights of cars, fighting to get onto the freeway that would lead them away.

"Oh my god." He said.

"Go the other way."

He looked at Beca, "What other way?"

"The opposite direction they are going. Back that way." She pointed behind her. "the way we came, but keep going. People aren't going that way. Its more secluded."

"Shouldn't we follow the people? They might know where to go."

She looked at him. "They don't know any more than anyone. I don't want to be caught in that, people stopped…they stopped being people. I don't want to be in the middle of that, when it happens again. Go the other way." She said.

Jesse studied her for a moment. "Are you sure? I mean, you need a doctor for- "

"There are no fucking doctors, Jesse! Listen!" She yelled slamming the button on the radio, filling the cab of the truck with the alert tone. "Everything is down. People are running. People are dying. Those people," She pointed to the line of cars leaving town. "Aren't going to get away fast enough. They are going to be stuck. Go that way, keep this truck moving. At least until its light."

He let out a breath, before nodding, and reversing the truck enough to turn it around, and drive back into the darkness of the empty mountain roads.


	2. Beca isn't Beca anymore

**A/N: Awesome response to chapter one guys THANK YOU! I really love how the unexpected ideas I get for stories seem to be my most popular ones. Works for me. Alright, here is chapter two. After this I am not going to be updating it again until after I complete my story 'Whispers in the dark' which has one more LONG chapter. That I will be working on as much as possible. Again, those reviews keep me going, so please keep them coming. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas. Also, if you would like to check out my GoFundMe, the link can be found in the bio on my tumblr KissKendrick. Even just a share could help!**

 **ONE YEAR LATER**

Inhale. Focus. Finger on the trigger. One…two…three… Exhale and pull the trigger.

A shot rang out and in the distance a thud could be heard. Jesse who held his rifle, ready for whatever might come his way, didn't even bother looking behind him. He knew Beca got the deer. Of course she did. She stopped missing months ago.

He could hear her standing up, from where she had been lying prone in the weeds. Her rifle slung over her shoulder, her eyes holding no emotion. Jesse could remember when they stopped shimmering. When he could no longer tell what she was feeling by the glimmer in her dark blue eyes. He could remember the day, perfectly in fact. No matter how hard he tried to forget it, he couldn't get it out of his mind. The day Beca lost the gleam in her eyes. The day Beca began to lose hope. The day Beca stopped talking.

 **Eight months earlier (TW: Violence, death of a minor)**

" _Come on, look at it. Its deserted." Jesse smiled as he walked with a little more pep in his step than Beca thought necessary. She walked slowly, her gun ready. The gun she found, and took not long after it all happened. A story she wasn't proud of. She knew she had to do it, it would be stupid to leave it. But still, she felt bad, taking the gun of the police officer who died trying to help her and Jesse. She had scratched his name into the side of the gun, so not forget where it came from. Hoping wherever he was, he knew his weapon was still being used to protect. She ran her thumb over the scratching. One word. Koller. Officer Koller, the man that did his best to get them to safety, wherever that was._

 _"Jesse, I don't think this is a good idea." She said as she looked at the building in front of them._

 _"It's fine, Beca. I bet we can find some good stuff in here."_

 _"Like what? Four-month old stale, probably blood covered popcorn? There is nothing in that theater we need, Jesse. Can we please head back to camp? It's going to be dark soon."_

 _"Five minutes?" He asked. "I bet they have that theater candy, all sealed and packaged tight, so it'll still be good." He smiled._

 _"How are you so sure someone hasn't already cleaned this place out? Like… months ago." She said looking around the abandoned parking lot, aside from dozens of cars they had already ransacked. "The cars were already cleaned out; why shouldn't the theater be too?"_

 _"Well, like you said, it's getting dark, maybe we should camp here for the night."_

 _She shook her head instantly. "No. Not happening, our camp is secure. This place isn't."_

 _"Alright, alright, look. How about, I go in. Ill grab what I find, and you can wait out here. If I'm not out in five minutes, you can leave without me."_

 _Beca sighed. "You know I wouldn't do that."_

 _He smiled, the same goofy smile she had come to know and love since they were kids. "I know. But I like hearing you say it."_

 _"Fine, nerd. Hurry up and go. Seriously you have five minutes."_

 _He smiled and turned around, taking the safety off his gun and heading for the foggy, dust covered glass doors._

 _"I'll be back." He said and she rolled her shoulders, walking up to the building. Resting her back against it, she looked out over the parking lot. Not resting, not daydreaming. Her gun was raised and ready, her eyes scanning the empty lot. It was quiet. Always, quiet. She used to prefer the quiet, now she would give anything for the sound of traffic, or loud children. Music, even the kind she didn't exactly like._

 _The sun was going down, turning the sky to a pale orange and pink color. She loved the sunsets, she loved watching them. However, she had gotten used to watching them from the protection of their camp. This was not that place, and here she felt anything but safe. If Jesse didn't hurry, they weren't going to make it back before it was pitch black out._

 _"Come on, Jesse." She whispered, looking to her right, towards the doors. She couldn't hear anything. No commotion, no yelling or gunshots. No snarling. That was always good. That was the bad kind of noise._

 _It was nearly ten minutes later, and Beca was not only fuming, she was begging to shake with fear. Where was he?_

 _She heard a crash, and pushed off the wall, flipping around and raising her gun, pointing it at the building. Her heart pounding, her breath coming out in short gasps. Soon enough Jesse came barreling through the doors._

 _"Beca, don't shoot, just run!" He yelled as he ran toward her._

 _"What, why?" She demanded as he reached her._

 _"Trust me, just- "_

 _"Oh my god." Her eyes were locked on the building._

 _They weren't fast, but they weren't slow either. And it seemed the younger they were, the quicker they could move._

 _"Beca, just run." Jesse pleaded as he moved passed her. Beca's brow furrowed as they moved through the door that hadn't had time to close._

 _"We won't make it." She said._

 _Jesse grabbed her arm, yanking her away from her spot. "Beca, Jesus, please just run!" He yelled and she lost her balance at the force of his pull, falling to the ground._

 _"Shit," he said as they got closer. It was too late, she waited too long. They could have run; they could have lost them. Now, they had no choice, it was them or…_ _ **them**_ _._

 _"Beca shoot!" He yelled, dropping down on one knee and raising his gun. He fired and hit the closest one. Feeling his stomach lurch as she hit the ground. Beca, who hadn't even been close to tears, let out a pained sob as she pulled the trigger and shot the next one, then the one behind it._

 _After the last shot, everything fell silent again. Beca stayed on the ground where she had fallen. Jesse let out a breath and dropped down on both knees._

 _"You had to Becs. You had to,_ _ **we**_ _had to."_

 _Beca sniffled before pulling herself up to her feet. She wiped her tears, and put her gun in her holster. Then walked over, leaned down and grabbed two small arms, dragging the little body over to one of the others and dropping it on them. Then she did the same with the third. Before pulling out a small bottle of liter fluid from her pack, and pouring it over the pile of bodies. She tried not to look at their faces. She tried to ignore the fact that she was doing this alone. That, she was doing this at all. She tried to tell herself, that this was for the best. They weren't suffering anymore. Then she wondered, what were they doing in there? Were they there when it happened? What movie where they seeing? She tried to remember what kid movies had been playing when it happened. Maybe they were in the arcade, killing time before the movie started. Maybe they went there, hoping to find a safe place to hide. She didn't know. She felt her body become eerily relaxed as she dropped the lit match and watched the small pile ignite._

 **Present**

"I'll get it. You pull the truck around." He said, not expecting a response. Not even expecting her to look at him, which she didn't.

He loaded the dead deer into the back of the most recent truck they had found. It was roomier than the last. Easier on fuel than the first. He didn't bother getting up from with her, instead, he sat in the bed of the truck, with their dinner, and hit the top once, telling her to drive.

He watched the trees go by as she drove. Not slowly, never slowly. No speed limits were a thing of the past, and Beca knew how to drive fast, knew how to control the vehicle she was driving. Only slowing down, when they either got close to camp, or there was a group of them in the road. It would be getting dark in the next couple of hours, and Jesse was glad they tracked the deer so quickly. He had been gathering things, over the past few weeks, and was internally excited, to surprise Beca with deer stew. He planned on telling her that night, before he made it. It would be warm, and filling. And a nice change. He hoped it might help rekindle their friendship. They were still together, that was good. But Jesse knew that the dynamic between them had changed, drastically. They were each other's protectors. Company. That was pretty much it. They had stopped being anything more, a long time before. When Beca stopped being Beca. And Jesse knew it was his fault. He hadn't meant to say or do the things he did. But he was paying for it now. He just felt lucky that she was still there. Still with him.

They had been friends since they were kids. They grew up together. And when they reached middle school, and Beca told him that she liked girls, he was there. To support her, comfort her, protect her against those who didn't agree with who she was. Including her own parents.

He wondered if she ever thought about those days. The days they would spend talking, walking through the woods. The secrets they shared as children. The tears they shed as teenagers, going through hard times. He wondered if any of that mattered to her now, after what he did.

He was broken from his thoughts, as the truck skidded to a halt. He turned around from where he had been sitting, with his back against the cab of the truck. He stood up, looking over the roof to see what Beca saw. In the distance, right where their camp would be, hidden in the trees. Was a cloud of smoke. Someone had discovered their camp. It was gone, and they both knew it.

Beca instantly put the truck in reverse and turned the truck around, driving in the opposite direction. Hoping whoever raided their camp, wasn't close by. Jesse fell back into the bed of the truck, punching his fist into the bottom of it. "Fuck!" he yelled angrily.

Everything they had gathered, aside from their ammo, which they always kept with them, was in that camp. And now, it was someone else's.

He shook his head, flexing his knuckles. It was all gone. They had been in that camp for nearly three months. They had gotten used to it. It had become comfortable. Which is probably why this happened. It seemed to work that way. Don't get too comfortable. Don't start to feel too safe. Because the moment they did, something came along to ruin it.

He thought about the vegetables he gathered, and the herbs he had found. He was going to make Beca deer stew. He sighed, closing his eyes as they headed away from their camp, where the smoke began to fade in the distance until they turned a corner and it disappeared altogether.

He didn't know where they would end up, probably sleep in the truck, find a new place in the morning. They wouldn't be eating tonight, he knew that. It would be a tense, long night.

 **A/N: Alright, there is chapter two! What do you think? Do you know what** _ **they**_ **are without me saying it? What do you think Jesse did, to mess up their friendship? (And yes, he is a good guy, her best friend. But it will all be explained later.) Other characters coming soon! Please review!**


	3. And then there were five

**A/N: I know I said I wouldn't be updating this until I finished my other story, but, sometimes I set unachievable goals. And, well. This is what happens. So here you go, another update.**

"Knock, Knock?"

Beca didn't look up from where she was trying to cook some of the deer meat over a small fire. They had found a place to camp for the night. An old back road with nearly a dozen cars that had piled up. Beca parked the truck in a way that she could get out and had a nearly twelve-foot space, both ways, enclosed by the cars. They started a small fire, and Jesse got as much meat off the dear that he could. Storing the majority of it in an old cooler they kept in the back of the truck. It wouldn't stay edible for long, and since they lost their camp, they couldn't use it the way they would have.

Jesse deflated and sat back against the door of the truck. "Why did the chicken cross the road?"

He perked up slightly when Beca barely raised her eyes to look at him in annoyance. "Come on Becs," he said softly. "Say something."

She shook her head slightly before looking back down and returning her attention to their dinner.

Jesse sighed again. "Please? Just one word, anything." She didn't make any move to speak, or even offer another shake of her head. It hadn't happened yet, and Jesse wondered if it would ever happen. He knew that he needed to stop, to leave her alone, and respect her decision to stay silent. But, he couldn't.

"Becs, are you choosing this? Or can you physically not speak?"

She shifted her weight and held the handmade skewer, from a wire hanger toward him. A sizzling piece of deer meat on the end of it. He sighed, and carefully took it. "You should eat first." He said.

She ignored him, grabbing the other piece of raw meat and stabbing another skewer into it, placing it over the fire.

It tasted bad, and wasn't exactly the best way to cook it, but it was food. And she was grateful for it. She was also grateful that with a full stomach, Jesse would soon be asleep. And quiet.

She loved the kid, there was no way around it. And she knew he didn't mean any harm, but she wished he could just leave it be. It had been months, and they were able to communicate easily without words. She didn't want to speak, she had nothing to say. She had no words to offer and she was fine with that. They were alive, and that was all that mattered.

She was angry, that's for sure. Their camp had been taken over, burned. A camp that she worked hard on. One that hadn't been found by anyone. Alive or otherwise. It had everything they needed. Things they gathered, things they made. Things that they needed. And now, it was gone. Someone or something found it, and what she was just starting to consider their new home, was gone.

XXXXXX

Jesse began to stir sometime around dawn and sat up from his sleeping place, tucked halfway under the truck. He rubbed his face a few times, and yawned looking around their little makeshift camp. Everything was picked up, the fire was out and all the burned sticks were gone. Covered by scattered leaves.

It was then he realized Beca was already inside the truck, waiting for him. She hadn't slept, he knew that. He could stay awake for around two days, before his body betrayed him and he would end up falling asleep the moment he sat down somewhere. Becas falling asleep was a rarity. She could stay up for nearly four days, before her body demanded a rest. And even then, it would only be for maybe two or three hours, before she was awake and ready to go. Jesse wished he had her strength and wondered where she got it.

"Where are we headed?" he asked getting in beside her.

She reversed the truck and pulled around the pile up, continuing down the road. She pointed with her eyes and he nodded.

"Yeah, I figured we were going that way. Are we going to find a new camp?" He asked. She nodded and sped up a bit.

He bit the inside of his cheek and looked out the window, the sun pouring through the trees, though the road was still practically shaded. It was getting colder out, and that was worrisome now that their camp had been taken. They drove for nearly an hour, before Beca slowed down and rolled her window down. She pulled up alongside an old truck. It had a camper shell on the back and it looked like it was in good condition.

She parked the truck, leaving it running, and grabbed her gun, getting out. Jesse stayed put, grabbing his own gun, making sure the truck wasn't left empty and running.

He watched as she circled the broken down truck, after a few moments, she walked back around nodded at him. He reached over, turning the truck off and taking the keys before getting out.

When he walked around he found Beca unlatching the shell from the truck. Understanding what she was doing, he put his gun in the holster on his belt and helped her. Not long after, they were driving away, with a newly installed shell on the back of the truck.

"Maybe we can find a house out here, go in and grab a mattress and some blankets?" he said as they drove and she nodded.

"Good find, Becs, they are usually all busted up." He smiled.

She looked over at him, and smirked. Something she didn't so often, but something he cherished when she did.

They kept driving, through most of the day. It always seemed the felt safest when they were driving. Protected by the truck. The speed. Beca still wasn't over her anger, of their camp being found. She was set on finding a new camp that would be better hidden. Somewhere to once again, start over. She wasn't sure where they were, they had crossed the border into South Carolina and Tennessee a few times, but always ended up back in Georgia. A place they knew, a place they couldn't seem to leave permanently. They knew there wasn't any place better. Maybe worse, but not better. They had traveled to Atlanta once. It was a disaster. Blown to pieces, crowed, bodies everywhere, cars everywhere. Buildings overrun by...them. They stayed one night. Long enough to fill the back of the truck with as much supplies from a pharmacy, a grocery store, and a clothing store. Those things had lasted them a long time. A lot of it, had been back at the camp. They kept stuff in the truck, and it would do for now, but they needed to find more. Jesse didn't know it, but Beca was extremely observant, especially of his needs. And she knew he desperately needed another pair of boots. The ones he had had duct tape wrapped around them, covering the holes in the bottom. They would need jackets, to fight the cold that would be coming.

Jesse thought about it, from time to time, but his concern had been Beca. She didn't eat a lot. She didn't sleep a lot. She drank the bare minimum to get by. She wasn't taking care of herself, and he knew it was hard to do, living the way they had too. But he wished she would try a little harder. Focus more on herself. She kept them both alive. Jesse did his share, he could shoot, he could fight, and he was strong. Even he knew that. But he did what he could to take care of himself too. And he knew it helped. He knew with the cold coming, Beca would get sick. With the way she was going now, he knew she would, and then what? They didn't have the things they would need.

It was late afternoon, when Beca pulled down a side road, and it went from pavement, to dirt. It was a private road, and lined with large trees. Nearly a mile through the thick woods, was a small yellow house.

She pulled up and put the truck in park. "How did you know this was here?" he asked, opening his door.

She shrugged, and got out, taking her own gun out. They slowly made their way toward the house, gun raised and ready. Jesse rounded the house, and Beca waited for him on the porch, before they pushed the door open and waited. It was dusty, and dark and smelled bad. It was a mess, and they silently wondered if it hadn't already been cleared out.

After a few seconds, then went in, both walking through the rooms on opposite sides of the small house, making sure it was clear.

They met in the front entrance, when they were done and Beca handed Jesse the keys. He nodded, taking them and headed outside. She watched from the porch as he pulled the truck around to the back. She looked around, the area was empty, isolated. It was quiet, then again, it was always quiet now.

She hoped Jesse knew, how much she appreciated him. How much she appreciated that he could tell what she was trying to say. That he knew what she was doing, or what certain things meant. She hoped he knew, that she forgave him for what happened. She couldn't say it, but she hoped he knew that she understands why he did it, she doesn't condone it, and would knock him out if he ever did it again, but she understands.

It was then he walked around the side of the house and nodded, telling her it was parked and ready, of they needed to get away. He handed her the keys and they made their way back into the house.

This would be their camp for at least the night. They needed to clean out the back of the truck, and rest a bit. They needed to find supplies, hoping this house had something.

They spent the rest of the day, going through the house, finding what they could. They ended up finding some canned vegetables and fruit. Beca found some old blankets in a storage closet and Jesse drug a full sized mattress out to put in the back of the truck. While Beca opened some of the canned foods and got ready to eat, Jesse made up the bed in the back of the truck, opening the back window. It was big enough for Beca to fit through, if need be. He pulled down some curtains from the house, and used them to cover the old windows on the shell.

He was just finishing up when Beca walked out, holding the food in her hands. She handed him his portion and hopped up on the edge of the tail gate where he sat.

"Thanks," He said looking into the can to see she mixed the fruit and vegetables together. Not long ago, he would have looked at it in disgust. Now, it looked amazing. He tilted the can, drinking some of the liquid from it. It tasted different, but it was better than some of the other things they had to eat.

Beca sat silently, her legs crossed under her as she ate. He looked at her from the side and smiled lightly. Glad she was eating the same sized portion he was. She rarely did that.

"Hey, Beca." He said after a few moments of silently eating.

She looked at him and he smiled again, reaching over to wipe some dirt off of her chin with his thumb. "You know, I'm glad it's you." He said.

She looked at him in question. "That I was with, when this happened. I'm glad we were together."

She smiled softly and nodded. He returned her smile before turning back to his can of food, poking through it with his spoon when he felt warmth on his shoulder and he looked to see Beca had rested her head on his shoulder. He sighed softly and reached up, cradling her head against him.

This was her way of saying she felt the same and he knew that. Beca was like his sister, and he would do anything for her. He had done a lot of things already, as had she.

XXXXXX

They locked themselves in the truck that night. Having set up the back so they could lay comfortably. The keys were in the ignition, in case they needed to get away. Jesse had convinced Beca that she could lie down and sleep at the same time he did. They hadn't seen anybody, or anything all evening. It was deserted out there and being in the truck, they could easily get away. After some persuading, she finally laid down next to him on the mattress. It was one of the more comfortable ones they had slept on. Jesse was relieved when Beca drifted off without too much of a fight. Her hand was still resting on her gun, but he was just happy that she was sleeping.

It wasn't long after, that he curled up next to her, drifting off himself.

XXXXXX

It seemed like only minutes after laying down, Jesse was jolted awake by Beca bolting up, her hand grabbing her gun.

"What is it?" He asked groggily, grabbing his own gun.

She carefully moved the curtain aside and peered out into the darkness. She had been woken by the sound of a door closing. The door to the house.

She nodded toward the house and Jesse took the safety off his gun moving forward and unlatching the door to the shell. They both carefully climbed out, their guns raised.

They could hear noise coming from inside the house, and looked at each other, fear evident on both their faces.

They could hide out in the truck, and hope whatever it was went away. However, if whatever it was, was able to overpower them, and steal their truck. That was a problem.

They circled around to the front door and were surprised to see a car parked about fifty feet down the driveway.

People.

Beca took a deep breath. This was the worst. This was the hardest part of surviving in this new world. No one was the same. It was kill or be killed most of the time, and so far, they had a pretty large kill streak.

Jesse reached out gently touching her shoulder. "Stay safe." He said and she blinked at him slowly. Her way of telling him the same. She took a breath and opened the door. She was instantly blinded by a bright light shining directly in her eyes and soon after a sharp pain in her head and she hit the ground.

She heard a commotion and tried to get up, but found herself being lifted off the ground, an arm wrapped around her neck and the arm she was holding the gun in was twisted behind her back, forcing her to drop it.

She heard someone cry out and a moment later a flashlight was pointing at Jesse. Her eyes grew. He was holding someone, a girl in front of him, the same way she was being held. A gun pressed into her temple.

"Let her go, or she dies." Jesse warned.

Beca looked to the side, another woman stood, a gun pointed at Jesse, as well as a flashlight. So there were three of them.

"You first." Came a man's voice, the one that was holding her.

Jesse shook his head and jammed his gun harder against the girl's head and she cried out.

"Stop!" The woman holding the flashlight yelled. "Don't hurt her," She pleaded.

Jesse didn't back down.

The woman with the flashlight looked over at them. "Luke, let her go."

"They have guns." He said.

"Yeah, so do we. Just let her go." She said and the man huffed shoving Beca away from him. She flipped around and landed a hard punch to his jaw before grabbing her gun off the floor and pointing it at them.

The woman held her hands up in surrender as the man regained his composer. Glaring at her.

"Drop your guns." Jesse said.

They didn't move. Jesse yanked the girl in his arms roughly and she cried out again, it was then Beca realized he had her arm bent behind her back like hers had been.

"I said drop them!" He yelled and they both slowly lowered them to the ground.

"Kick them to her." He demanded and two guns slid across the floor to Beca. She put her gun away and reached down picking them up.

"Who are you, how did you find this house?" Jesse demanded.

Beca looked them over, stepping backwards toward Jesse when she spotted something. The dark grey scarf that was dirty, blood stained and torn that was wrapped around the other woman's neck. It was hers. It had been at the last camp.

She lunged at her, knocking her to the ground and straddling her waist. The girl let out a fearful shriek and held her hand up blocking her face.

"Beca?" Jesse asked in a panic. She grabbed the scarf, ripping it from her neck.

The man, Luke moved toward the but Jesse stopped him.

"Touch her and she dies." He said.

"Luke, stop." The woman Beca had pinned said.

Jesse looked at the scarf in Becas hand, recognizing it as one of hers. It hit him then. They were the ones that found their camp.

"Why are you following us?!" He yelled yanking on the woman's arm harder and she screamed in pain as she felt her shoulder dislocate.

"Stop, please!" The woman beneath Beca cried. "We found your camp, it was deserted. We didn't know anyone still lived in it. When we got there, it had a bunch of them…" She said. "We grabbed what we could, then lit on fire. Killing Them, we were leaving when we saw your truck. We followed you, hoping you might need some extra help."

"You destroyed our camp, and you thought following us and asking to join us was a good idea?!"

"We have a lot of your supplies!" She said. "In our car, outside. You seem to know how to do this, and we don't. We have barely made it; we have lost so many people. We need help."

Jesse scoffed. "Yeah, everyone needs help."

The woman looked up at Beca, seeing the blood dripping down the side of her face. "I'm sorry, please,"

"We have things in the car, to clean that up." She said motioning to the blood.

"Yeah, our things!" Jesse said. The woman in his grasp was now openly crying.

"Please, let her go," She said.

Luke looked between them. Both of them were being held, he had no weapon. He didn't know what to do.

"How about, give us our things, and get lost." Jesse said.

"Fine, fine."

Beca glared and stood up, grabbing the girl and yanking her up to her feet.

She looked at Jesse, shaking her head.

"You want them to stay?" He asked incredulously.

Luke glared at them. "What, can't you talk?" He asked and the girl that Beca was holding told him to be quiet.

"We aren't a threat, we will go. You can have your things; they belong to you. And we will go." She said. "Just let her go, please?"

Jesse looked at Beca and she nodded slowly. He released her and she gasped in pain, her arm falling limply to her side.

"What the hell did you do?" Luke demanded walking over to her.

"It's just dislocated, it's fine." She said, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"Now, let Chloe go and we will leave." She said and Beca looked at the girl she was holding. Her name was Chloe.

She shook her head and let Chloe go.

Jesse still held his gun, toward Luke as she walked over to the injured woman.

She gently reached out and the girl flinched away from her.

"Let her." Jesse said, his tone softer. The woman looked at Beca, her tear filled eyes full of fear. Chloe, hurried over.

"What are you doing?" She asked,

"She is going to put her arm back." Jesse said. "Let her."

The girl still looked at Beca cautiously. "It's alright Bree. I'm here."

Beca reached out again and placed her hands on her shoulder. She pushed and pulled and the girl cried out again before they heard another pop and she relaxed. Beca stepped back.

"Thank you." Chloe said wrapping a protective arm around the girl called Bree.

She didn't show any sign of answering her. Instead, she walked over to Jesse.

"What do we do?" He asked.

She looked at them. The two girls, were skinny, and dirty. They had bruises and scratches everywhere. The man, was in almost the same condition.

She raised her gun and pointed it at them. Then nodded at Jesse. He walked over pulling the two girls apart, and began patting the one called Chloe down. She held her arms out, her eyes empty as he checked her for weapons, then moved onto the one called Bree. When she was clear he walked over to Luke.

He was taller than Jesse and glared down at him. Jesse waited a second, before pulling his arm back and punching him in the face. Then grabbed him and shoved him face first against the wall. Chloe and Bree both moved away from them and Beca just watched.

"That was for the warm welcome you gave us. Touch her again, and I will kill you." He growled before patting him down. He found nothing and moved away.

"They are clean." He said.

Beca nodded. "Are you letting them stay?" He asked and she looked them over.

Chloe looked at her as if pleading for her to allow them to stay. The other girl, Bree, looked worn out, and didn't meet their eyes. Luke glared at them. Beca looked him over, then the girls before nodding slowly.

They could stay. Jesse wasn't sure why Beca agreed to this. They didn't know them, the ransacked their camp, followed them, and now Beca was bleeding from the head. He didn't know her plan or if she even had one. How could he? She wouldn't speak.

Jesse watched as she motioned for them to walk in front of her, where she guided them to a back room with a bed.

He heard Chloe thank her and watched as she closed the door and slid down the wall outside the room, making sure they didn't leave it. He could see she was deep in thought. He wondered if she even knew what she was doing. Her knees propped up, her arms resting on them. A gun in her hand.

He looked to Luke. "There is a couch behind you. Sit down." He said and Luke did.

Jesse sat down as well, keeping his gun ready.

They stared each other down for what seemed like hours. Soon the sun was rising, filling the house with light, now that the curtains were taken down.

"What are you going to do?" Luke asked after a long while.

"I don't know yet." He said calmly.

"Is she your leader or something, you have to do everything she doesn't say?" He mocked.

Jesse smiled. "She is smart. She is tough and she could kill you without even thinking twice about it. All of you, and walk out without a scratch." He said. "I do whatever she thinks is best."

Luke glared at him. "I don't think you and I are going to get along very well." He said.

Jesse chuckled. "I think you are right about that."

 **A/N: Damn. Long ass chapter. PLEASE REVIEW?!**


	4. We were seven

**A/N: PLEASE READ. Okay. So I have an interview tomorrow. And I really really don't want this job. At the same time, I absolutely MUST get this job. I really hate retail, but I am lucky to even be getting work. So even though it's hard, I am trying to be positive. I am still really sick. Idk what I caught but its killing me. Slowly. If you haven't already, please check out our GoFundMe. The link is in my Tumblr bio. ALSO. After stumbling across a convo on Tumblr, a very heated debate. AND an outsider's opinion who has never seen Anna Camp. I have come to find her eyes are not green. They say they are blue, but I will only agree on hazel. I could have SWORN they were green. So ignore what I have called them in other fics, in this they will be blue. Dammit. Any who. On with the story!**

Two sets of sleepy blue eyes watched cautiously as Beca prepared a small breakfast. The girls, Chloe and Aubrey had been woken up by Beca a few hours after they fell asleep. She didn't speak, just kicked the mattress a few times until they stirred. She wasn't surprised when they both jumped from the bed, expecting to find something other than a small brunette staring at them.

Luke hadn't slept. He and Jesse sat in a tense silence for a long while, before Jesse had him help move the supplies from their car, to the truck.

Now, they sat outside, the tail gate down and Chloe and Aubrey sat on it. Huddled close together as Beca and Jesse heated sliced up spam, over a small fire, from a can they found in the house.

Beca moved forward, offering the piece she made to Chloe. She took it slowly.

"Thank you." She said and looked at Aubrey who smiled softly at her. It was then Jesse held out a piece for her. She took it gratefully.

Soon after, they all sat by the little fire, the sun starting to rise over the trees.

"You said you lost people?" Jesse asked and Beca looked at him from the corner of her eye.

Chloe nodded. "Yes. We did."

Aubrey looked down and Luke sat back. "We were a group of seven."

"You're all that's left?" Jesse asked.

Chloe nodded. "We were at the college, Barden University." She said and Jesse perked a little. He had hoped to attend Barden University one day. Beca looked at him, knowing she was going to see a spark of the Jesse she knew before all of this. She hated the idea of college, loathed it. Jesse had been in the process of trying to convince her to go with him. Talking for hours about how they could go through college together. Experience it all, together, the way they experienced every other milestone in their lives. She had started warming up to the idea, when it all happened.

"Was it bad there?" He asked.

Chloe nodded. "At first, it wasn't so bad. The campus was closed off for the most part. We all tried to stay there, as long as we could. Hoping that someone would come for us. Or this would all end. But, it didn't, and it wasn't too long before the campus was overrun. Our group, we all got out together. We had a small bus, that fir us as well as a bunch of supplies we had gathered."

Jesse was listening intently. Aubrey was as well, though she didn't look at any of them. Beca climbed into the back of the truck, moving around them and sitting on the mattress as she began arranging all their supplies to fit in the back.

"We came across what we assume was a camp, but, they were all dead. They had weapons, and ammo. We were lucky. We took what we could and searched for a safe place. But, we never found one. We lost our friends along the way. Bumper Allen. He was our first loss." She said. "Then our friend CR, we were looking through an old convenient store, and she got trapped when one of them came out of a back store room."

Jesse nodded solemnly. Luke had no expression as he listened to Chloe retell their past.

"We were okay for a little while after that. A couple months actually. We got better at hunting food, and keeping safe. We learned when to shoot, and when not too shoot. We got comfortable. And that was a mistake. Amy was next. She and I, we went out to siphon some gas for the bus, but we were ambushed. By people. I heard the shots, I heard her scream that she had been hit." Beca looked up, hearing the tremble in her voice. She waited a moment, then looked back down to where she was organizing the few packs of gauze they had left in the first aid kit.

"We left her." She said and Aubrey put an arm around her shoulder.

Luke shook his head. "She was a tough one to lose." He said and everyone looked at him. "I mean; they were all tough. They were our friends." He said. "But, Amy. She was a breath of fresh air. She was funny, and kept even the darkest days light."

Jesse looked down. He hadn't expected this from the man. He hadn't shown much of any emotion.

"The last person we lost, was just recently. She uh, we-we kind of lost hope after that. She was smart, and quick, and she knew things. She knew ways of survival. Her name was Lily. She was little different. Quiet." She said and Aubrey smiled lightly. "She fell into a trap. A hole in the ground. We don't know who dug it, or if it was just a random hole. But it had them in it. She didn't have a chance."

Beca looked up, hearing the tremble in her voice had become full blown tears. "We came across your camp, and when we saw the supplies, we felt a flood of hope. But, it was overrun. We thought you were dead. So we took what we could, and left. We saw your truck, and we followed. We hoped it was you, we hoped you were the ones that owned the camp. We didn't come right up on you, because, honestly, how stupid would that have been?" She asked and Jesse smiled gently.

She sniffled and looked down in to her lap. We stayed pretty far behind and lost you after a while. We were lucky, to find this road, and even luckier to find you here." She said looking back at Beca. "Thank you, for letting us stay." She said. "We will earn our keep. We will help, and we- "

"We won't be slaves to them." Luke said and Jesse looked at him.

"No one said you had to be."

"You took our guns." Luke said and Aubrey looked at him.

"They took them for a good reason. I'm sure once they know they can trust us, they will give them back. So we can help defend ourselves and our camp."

This was the most the blonde had spoken and Jesse smiled at her. She was dirty, and pretty beat up. Her hair was tangled and her clothes were old and torn. But he couldn't help but admire the beauty he could see through all that. Not to mention, the bit of authority in her voice, that was unexpected, given the way she had been carrying herself.

He nodded. "That's right." He said. "But for right now, its unneeded." He said and stood up, using his foot to stomp out the small fire. "Chloe, Aubrey, make yourselves comfortable in the back, there. You can sleep if you want too. Luke, grab whatever else you need from your car- "

"I'll follow you in it." He said and Beca looked at Jesse. He met her stare.

"I don't think that's a good idea, you have no weapons. If you get separated, or run out of gas. Or you know, try to run us off the road. "He said. "You can ride in the back as well."

Beca got out of the back and motioned for the girls to climb in.

"You think?" Luke asked. "Or _she_ thinks? Thinks, but not speaks." He said looking at Beca who may have been a good foot shorter than him, leveled his glare.

"She." Jesse said simply. "And I agree." So, you can either do as we _think,_ or Beca can point that gun at you, while I slash your tires, and leave your ass here. You asked us for help. We are helping. Take it, or we leave you."

Luke glowered at him, his fists clenching and Chloe watched nervously from the back of the truck. Aubrey grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Fine." He growled.

Chloe relaxed slightly as Luke got in the back. "There is nothing else I need from the car." He said and Jesse nodded, shutting them in.

From there, he and Beca got into the front seat, and Beca silently pulled the truck around the front of the house, down the driveway. They passed the car, and continued down the dirt road until they hit the main road again.

"Are you sure about this Beca? We haven't had anyone with us, not since the police officer and- "She silenced him with a small smile. A reassuring emotion that Jesse gladly stopped talking to look at.

"Okay. I trust you."

She nodded and continued down the road. "They need clothes." Jesse said after a little while. "Their shoes are practically falling off their feet too."

Beca looked in the rearview mirror, she could faintly see into the back. She knew they could hear Jesse, and wondered if it offended them, to be spoken about as if they weren't right there.

She nodded and the next turn they came up on, she took. Jesse knew she was going to drive until they found a town. He looked out the windshield and his body tensed. A few hundred feet in front of them, was a large group of them. They weren't moving, just standing in the middle of the road. He looked over to see Beca reach back and pull the seat belt across her chest, he helped her by grabbing it buckling it so she could return her hands to the steering wheel. Then buckled himself in.

"Hey guys," He said turning his head. "Brace yourselves, okay?"

"What, why?" Luke asked pulling himself up to look through the window.

"What the fuck, what are you doing?" he asked as Beca hit the gas and floored it toward them.

"Find a way around them, are you crazy?" He yelled and tried to reach for the wheel but got Jesse elbow to the face instead. He fell back and Chloe and Aubrey braced themselves against the side of the truck, holding onto each other.

A few seconds later, they were running through them. They heard every hit, felt every bump. They could hear the inhuman screams and after a few seconds, it was over. The tires screeched a little, the truck jerking around as Beca regained some control. They had just relaxed, feeling the smoothness of the truck even out when Beca hit the brakes.

The looked in confusion as Jesse got out of the truck and soon after the back of it was ripped open and Luke was drug out and slammed onto the concrete.

Chloe and Aubrey hurried to the door to find him pinned to the ground. Jesse on top of him, and Beca, standing over him, a shotgun pointed at his head.

"You will never, pull that shit again." Jesse yelled. "You will not question anything we do. Anything she does, and if you ever try to get the wheel again, I will make sure you are the one under the tires next time."

Aubrey looked up and gasped. At least a dozen of them, that hadn't been hit, were heading their way.

"Understand?" Jesse demanded. Luke didn't answer. Blood pouring from his nose, his eyes becoming black from the multiple hits he had endure since they all met.

"Luke, please answer him!" Chloe cried seeing them coming closer.

He glared up at Jesse.

Aubrey and Chloe practically flung themselves to the front of the bed of the truck.

Finally, Luke nodded, leaving his pride aside and was pulled up and shoved into the back. The last thing Chloe and Aubrey saw was Beca turning around and shooting one, perfecting in the head before Jesse closed them in. A few more shots rang out, before they heard the doors slam and they jolted as Beca hit the gas.

Chloe looked at Luke who had pulled himself up to sit against the opposite side of the truck. He looked angry, embarrassed. His pride had been wounded. They both knew, he didn't take kindly to that. Aubrey once again took her hand.

"They are good people." She whispered softly and Chloe squeezed her hand. "We are safe with them."

Chloe nodded, looking away from the seething Luke. She heard Jesse say they needed clothes, and he was right. They were in desperate need of clothing. And sturdier shoes. She hoped they could get some, somehow. She trusted they knew what they were doing. They had proven themselves multiple times already.

She glanced toward the window for a moment, before deciding to take Jesses offer. She started to lay down, and Aubrey followed after her. Both of them huddling together, getting comfortable on the mattress. It wasn't long before the rumble of the truck lulled them to sleep. The second time, in twenty-four hours they felt safe enough to fall asleep, knowing that nothing was going to hurt them. It wasn't something they had been able to do in so long.

Luke looked over at the two and scoffed. They trusted so easily. They trusted people that took their weapons. They trusted someone who couldn't even talk. He looked at the window. She didn't speak, but she had a lot to say. That Jesse seemed to think he knew what she wanted every time she looked at him. He was her mule. Dumb ass. He glared at the back of their heads. The girls may be naïve enough to believe they were good people. But he wasn't. He didn't trust them, and he knew he needed to get his gun back, as soon as possible. Even if that meant acting like the good little bitch he knew they wanted him to be.

He shook his head before leaning back and closing his eyes. This wasn't going to work for him for very long.

 **A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! Please…please….pleaseeee? lol**


	5. Almost

**A/N: uh, y'all? Jesse is a good guy in this… why so hateful? Jesse good. Luke bad. Lol okay, here you go.**

"Stay behind Beca."

Chloe and Aubrey had woken up around an hour after drifting off. They had found an old outlet mall. It was deserted, obviously. Leaves, cars, partially decayed bodies and debris littered the parking lots. Something they had all become accustomed to seeing. They didn't give any of it a second glance.

Jesse told the girls to follow Beca, stay close by her and do what she directed. Aubrey had started to ask how, when she doesn't talk, but was quickly hushed by Chloe, before they turned and followed the brunette slowly into the store. Jesse then turned to Luke.

"You and I will search the lot. Anything you see that might be useful, get it. When they are done, we will siphon any gas that hasn't already been claimed."

Luke nodded. "And how do I defend myself?" He asked. Jesse looked around the empty lot.

"I think you are probably good. Just be quiet, and be quick." He said. There was no venom in his voice. Which almost bothered Luke.

"What about me? Don't I get new clothes? Or is this a girl's trip?" He pressed.

"Beca will find something for you." Jesse said, beginning to lose his patients but keeping his voice calm. They had already entered the store and he knew Beca wouldn't be long. They got in and got out, not staying out in the open like this for very long.

Luke sighed but nodded and they made their way out to hunt for anything they could find.

XXXXXX

After entering the store, that was once a discount clothing store, Beca relaxed a little. She didn't particularly like being out in the open. Being in the forest was different. She was hidden by the trees; she didn't feel so exposed. They stayed near the doors for a moment, as Beca knocked over an empty display shelf. The racket made both girls jump, and move not only closer together, but closer to Beca.

Aubrey and Chloe looked around at the dark, practically destroyed department store. There were still clothes on the racks, mostly. Things were all over the store, and the smell of mildew was very strong. It was easy to see that it was caused by a broken pipe that was sticking out of the ceiling. After a moment, Beca nodded toward the clothes. The racket had brought out anything that might be a threat to them. The store seemed to be clear.

Aubrey had reached for a tipped over shopping car but a look from Beca stopped her. She shook her head and motioned with her gun for them to move.

"Just grab the necessities, Bree." Chloe said gently as they made their way towards the racks. Chloe instantly grabbed a couple long sleeved shirts and balled them up shoving them down into her half zipped jacket. Aubrey grabbed her zipper and pulled it down doing the same.

Beca watched for a second, before turning and heading to where the men's clothes were. Grabbing a few shirts for Jesse, not bothering to look at them. After grabbing a pair of jeans she looked down a way, to where Luke's presumed size would be. She sighed and headed over to it, grabbing him the same amount.

"She isn't going to be able to carry anything for herself." Chloe whispered to Aubrey and the blonde looked over at the much smaller girl, holding an armful of clothes for Jesse and what they assumed was for Luke.

"I'm sure she will." Aubrey said grabbing a package of underwear off the ground. She showed Chloe and the redhead looked at her in relief.

She looked around the dingy store. "Do you think they have any shoes? I'm sure that's the first thing people grabbed." She said.

Aubrey shrugged. "I don't know, I hope so." She said. "Let's go see, then we should get back out to the truck."

Beca looked up as Chloe and Aubrey headed toward the shoes. She looked down at her own, and inspected them. They were dirty, but they were still in good condition. She didn't need to worry about that. However, she knew it was going to be getting colder, and they would need jackets.

She looked around, relieved that this store seemed to be out of the way enough to not have been completely picked over.

She adjusted the half dozen shirts, and few pairs of men's pants in her arms and followed after the girls.

Chloe's eyes lit up, seeing a pair of shoes hanging off the shelf.

"Chloe, those aren't practical." Aubrey stopped her, seeing her line of sight.

Beca looked at what they were looking at. She was right. It was a pair of slip on shoes. Sure they covered the hole foot, but they would do nothing for comfort or protection. They both saw the excitement burn out of her eyes and she nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." She said. "I think there are some boots over here." She said and Aubrey followed after her.

Beca walked over to look at the shoes Chloe had seen. They were a brand that she remembered girls wearing in school. Toms or something like that. They weren't practical, Aubrey was right about that. She looked down the aisle where they had found a few pairs of winter boots. Chloe was currently shoving her feet onto a pair of hiking boots.

"I can't believe these didn't get taken." Aubrey said, as Beca walked over. The blonde had also found a pair of boots, she had discarded her old shoes and was in the process of lacing them up.

"Maybe this area didn't have a lot pf people. Maybe it was evacuated before people had a chance to take anything." Chloe said as she stood up, admiring her new boots.

Beca nodded at them. They were much better than what she had been wearing.

"Okay, I think we have everything." Chloe said looking around the store as Aubrey stood up as well.

Beca shook her head and motioned for them to head over to another rack. Aubrey looked and nodded. "Awesome."

Chloe smiled as she approached the rack that had winter coats hanging on it. She grabbed the first warm one she saw as well as a hat.

Aubrey did as well and Beca grabbed two large men's coats before nodding towards the doors. Now they were finished.

Aubrey adjusted her new clothes in her arms and began to follow her, but Chloe's smile faded into a frown. She watched Beca walking toward the door. Her gun that she had been holding up in case she needed to use it was slung across her back as she held a huge arm load of clothes. None of which were for her.

Chloe let out a small huff and looked at the rack. She saw was she assumed was Becas size and grabbed it, as well as a hat and as she hurried to catch up with them, she grabbed as many shirts as she could carry.

XXXXXX

Jesse and Luke were approaching the truck as Chloe and Aubrey unloaded their clothes onto the tailgate.

"Get some good stuff?" Jesse asked and Beca who was standing now, with her gun ready nodded. Luke walked up and Jesse pointed at a pile.

"Those are yours." He said as he looked through what Beca got for him.

"Beca, did you carry all this?" he asked seeing the multiple pairs of pants as well as coats. She wasn't that big after al land this was a lot of stuff.

She nodded and watched as his shoulders slumped.

"What did you get for yourself? You need a coat too," he said and turned to walk into the store.

"No wait."

Jesse stopped and they all looked at Chloe. "I grabbed these." She said separating what she grabbed for Beca and handing them to Jesse.

He smiled softly as he took them and looked over at Beca. Her expression was blank; however, he was sure he saw a glimmer of something in them.

"She hadn't grabbed anything for herself, I noticed." Chloe said. "I could carry more, so I grabbed those for her."

Jesse set them down on the tail gate and smiled. "Thank you Chloe. That was very thoughtful."

"You guys saved us. It's the least I could do." She said looking over at Beca who had been looking at her, but looked away as soon as she met Chloe's eyes. She cleared her throat and walked around to the front of the truck.

Jesse smiled. "Alright, well. Why don't you get changed into something clean? Then we will go." He said.

"What did you find out there?" Aubrey asked.

"Not a lot." Luke said.

"Couple half empty bottles of water and a lighter." Jesse said. "And some gas." He said pointing at the gas can in the back of the truck.

Aubrey nodded as she grabbed a new shirt. Jesse turned away and Chloe grabbed her coat lifting it to curtain Aubrey as she changed.

Luke chuckled and pulled his own shirt off, before grabbing a new one and putting it on. Chloe looked over her shoulder and glared slightly at the smile on Luke's face.

When Aubrey was finished changing, she held the coat up to shield Chloe as she did the same. Luke lifted himself into the truck and shook his head in amusement. When they were finished, they climbed in and pulled their clothes in.

"Just fold them up and put them wherever they fit." Jesse said as he closed the tailgate.

Chloe and Aubrey had silently begun to fold and put away the clothes as Beca started the truck and they drove away from the store.

"Hey, do you guys actually have a place in mind, where you are going, are you just wasting gas and driving aimlessly?" Luke called up to the front.

As he expected, Beca ignored him, but Jesse turned around and looked through the window. "We drive until we find someplace to stay. If that place happens to be a good place to set up camp, we will stay. If not, we will keep driving until we do find a place." He said.

Luke nodded. "So, you waste the gas. Got it."

Jesse glared at him. "You have a better way of doing it?"

"Yeah. Find a place, quickly. And _make_ it a safe place to camp."

Jesse looked at him like he was stupid. "No shit." He said. "But sometimes, that isn't enough. You can't just set up camp anywhere out here. You have to be smart about it."

"Like you were with your last camp?" Luke asked and Chloe and Aubrey both visibly tensed.

"We had been there for a long time. It was safe. Then it wasn't. That tends to happen a lot lately."

"Nowhere is safe." Luke said. "This whole place has gone to shit and we will never be safe." He looked at Aubrey and Chloe and they both looked away from him. Jesse caught this and sighed.

"Just shut up, will you? We will find a place to camp for the night, get some food and go from there."

At that, he turned back around and they could hear him saying something to Beca, but couldn't make out what it was.

Chloe looked up, to see Luke was watching them. She took a breath and leveled her gaze.

"They are helping us, when they don't have too." She said.

Aubrey looked up at her. "They could have left us out there with nothing. They could have killed us. But they didn't. They took us in, they fed us. They clothed us and they are helping keep us alive. So why don't you stop questioning everything they do, take Jesse's advice, sit down and shut up." She snapped.

Jesse turned around to see Chloe glaring at the man. He was glaring right back and the blonde, had her eyes in her lap.

"Well said, Chloe." Jesse smiled. She looked at him, and smiled gently.

"Some people clearly don't know how to show appreciation. I'm sorry for him." She said.

Luke was practically seething and Jesse could tell he wasn't used to people standing up to him. He didn't like it at all.

"Fuck you." Luke growled, meeting her glare and Jesse could see her falter for a second before blinking a few times. She wanted to back down, and he could see that. But she was fighting it.

"Becs, pull over." Jesse said. Beca who had been listening, slowed down and pulled the truck over.

She watched as Jesse got out and walked around to the back. He opened the tailgate and held his hand out for Chloe. She looked at it for a moment, before reaching for it and he helped her down. Then did the same with Aubrey. He closed the tailgate, leaving behind an angry Luke. He led them around to the front and opened the door.

"The front is much nicer." He said and Chloe looked into the front bench seat, to see Beca looking at her. It was high up, and she had just stepped onto the foot step when a hand was held out toward her.

She looked up to see Beca reaching her hand out, a small smirk on her lips. She smiled and took her hand. Once she was pulled up and situated next to the brunette, she whispered a soft 'Thank you.'

Beca nodded slightly as Jesse helped Aubrey up next to her, then got in himself and closed the door.

"Alright, let's go." He said as he reached behind them and closed the window.

Luke glared at them, shaking his head. They were so stupid. They had no idea what they were doing. They were overconfident. And they underestimated him.

He let out a breath and moved over to the bed, stretching out on it. Propping his arms behind his head.

Chloe and Aubrey felt a lot better sitting up front with Jesse and Beca. It was brighter, and knowing they were even closer, made them feel safer. It was nice. Almost as if it were just a group of friends out for a drive.

If you ignored the occasional broken down car in the road. As well as the bodies lying on the side of the road. If they kept their eyes straight ahead, and let the trees rush passed, in their peripherals. They could almost ignore the fact they were a few of the only living people for miles. Sure there were some of them out there. Walking in the road, or coming out of the trees. But, if you imagined them as just people, taking a walk. It wasn't so bad.

 **A/N: Please Review?**


	6. What Beca heard

It took the rest of that day, and half of another, before Beca took a sharp turn, through what Jesse had thought was just tress. They were in fact, just overgrown. She had been able to recognize, what once was an open driveway. Once the truck broke through them, they could see a half burnt house about fifty yards away.

Beca stopped the truck, and got out, Jesse following after her, his gun ready. She opened the back, and pulled a roll of barbed wire out of a burlap sack, tucked under the mattress. Luke, who was sitting near the front watched as she and Jesse unraveled it and walked to the entrance stringing it across the opening, from one tree to the next. Then they covered it with the broken branches and made it look as if it were still overgrown.

Luke turned around, looking over the front seat, where the girls were, to see the half burnt house. He turned back just as Beca closed the tailgate again and got back up front. He turned around, knocking on the window.

Jesse sighed, opening it. "Yeah?"

"We find a place to camp?" He asked.

"Yeah, it looks like we might be able to set up here for a while, its tucked away and not very visible from the road."

Luke nodded and fell back. "It's about time."

That had been two days ago. They had worked the rest of that day, setting up their camp. Chloe and Aubrey learning quickly how to lay noise traps. Stringing empty aluminum cans around the perimeter they had laid out.

Chloe had tried to work as closely to Beca as she could, but the girl didn't seem to like company much. She would finish what she was doing, and head to a completely different area of the camp. Jesse had taken notice and had mentioned it to Beca, but she simply shrugged, and ignored it. Luke had pulled his weight. Helping build a fire pit, scavenging for any kind of supplies they could find. They found a few things in the house. Not much, as it was mostly lost in the fire that destroyed the house. But, Jesse was excited when he found not one but three large bottles of honey.

On their second day at their new camp, they had the perimeters set up, all the noise traps, and so far, hadn't had any trouble with anything wandering into their camp. It was quiet for the most part.

They had just finished a small lunch, and Beca had gone to sit in the back of the truck, doing something with one of the rifles. Jesse was showing Chloe how to use the machete they had found early on. They had more than one, and Jesse told them it was good to know how to use, when a gun wasn't the best option.

Luke sat by the fire pit, using a knife to sharpen a tree branch. He looked up when Aubrey walked over to Jesse and Chloe.

"Hey, is it okay, if I go for a little walk? Not far, I just wanna see what is around out there." She said pointing to the woods back behind the house.

Jesse straightened up from where he was showing Chloe how to crouch and looked over at Beca. She had heard the request and met Jesse's eyes before looking away.

Jesse sighed and looked at Aubrey. "I don't know, it isn't really safe to go out alone and- "

"I won't go far; I just like to take walks sometimes. To clear my head." She said and looked at him almost pleadingly.

He sighed again. "Okay," He said walking over to the truck and reaching into it. Beca held out a hunting knife and took it, turning back around.

"Take this, and please don't go too far in. Seriously, like no more than fifty feet deep and try to stay within sight of the house." He said handing it to her. He turned back around and grabbed the holster for it.

"Put this here," he said and knelt down in front of her, wrapping the holster around her thigh. Luke watched, narrowing his eyes.

"It will be easier to grab if you need it." He said taking the knife from her and sliding it in.

"Okay, show me how you pull it out." He said standing up.

She nodded and reached around with her dominant hand, grabbing it and raising it.

"The head. Not the heart, not the arm. The head. Or else it will piss it off, and you waste time. Hopefully you won't need it, but just in case." He said and she nodded, putting it back.

"Thank you Jesse, I won't be gone long." She said then looked at Beca. "Thank you Beca." She said and the brunette nodded without looking up.

She looked over to Chloe and walked toward her. "I'll be back." She said softly and gave her a small hug. The other girl looked nervous, but knew that Aubrey really did need these walks. It helped her to calm down when she was stressed.

"Be safe, Bree. I love you." She said.

"I love you too." Aubrey smiled lightly before giving her arm a squeeze and walking away. They watched her carefully step over the noise trap and head into the trees.

Jesse looked back at Chloe. "Ready?" He asked.

She nodded. "Ready."

Beca watched for a moment, as he showed her how to use her arm to push him away from her, if she didn't have time to grab her machete.

She bit the inside of her cheek as she watched, noting how Chloe caught on fairly quickly. Then, continued to work on cleaning the rifle, and putting it back together, her mind in another place. Jesse was teaching Chloe different ways of swinging the machete, and brought her over to the side of the house to let her practice on the corner of it.

They worked on their separate things, the only sound was of Jesse's soft voice, the clicking of Becas rifle and the wind blowing through the trees. No one heard or saw Luke slip off into the trees moments after Aubrey did.

XXXXXX

Aubrey walked slowly, her boot clad feet crunching through the leaves and fallen branches. She took slow deep breaths, calming herself. Her eyes moving around. Counting trees, counting the number of leaves that fell as she walked. Trying to ground herself. Something she learned to do early on after it all happened. Something to keep her from completely losing herself. She felt safer now, than she had since the beginning. However, she still knew, that any given day could be her last. As it was before the world went to shit. She knew now though, that her chances were much slimmer. She wasn't living anymore. She was now surviving. And she had Chloe too, she had Chloe to look after, to take care of. To make sure, she survived.

She was broken from her thoughts, when she heard a branch snap behind her. She inhaled sharply, grabbing her knife and flapped around ready to use it. However, her arm was instantly grabbed and twisted and she dropped the knife as she was shoved against a tree.

She gasped in pain, it being the same arm that had been handled so roughly just days before.

"Hey there Bree." Luke husked in her ear.

She whimpered, and struggled against his hold. He smiled and let her go, stepping back and she turned around, cradling her arm against her.

She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" She asked stepping forward and grabbing her knife off the ground.

He smiled. "You went for a walk. Alone. I figured you might need someone to look after you." He said innocently and Aubrey scoffed.

"Yeah, I might." She said holding onto her knife.

"You like it here? With them?" He asked nodding behind him.

She squared her shoulders. "Yes. I do." She said.

He nodded, looking down. "Yeah, I don't know how much longer we are going to stick around." He said.

She looked at him incredulously. "What?"

He nodded. "Yeah, they don't seem to really know what the hell they are doing."

"You are kidding me right? They know exactly what they are doing. Look at us. Food, water, shelter. A warm, safe place to sleep. We can actually sleep, why the hell would you want to leave?" She asked.

"Because, we don't need them. They don't need us. And quite frankly, I don't think it is a good idea we stay."

"Why? Because you are no longer the one in charge?" She asked. "Get over it. They know what they are doing, they have accepted us and Chloe and I are staying." She said. "You can leave if you want too, but you are going alone." She said and stepped by him.

However, he reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her back and shoving her against a tree.

She cried out in pain as the rough bark scrapped her back. He slapped his hand over her mouth and looked behind him.

"Shut the fuck up." He growled. "I am in charge. When it comes to you, and Chloe. I am in charge. I saved you. Both of you, countless times. If it weren't for me, you both would be like the rest. Dead. You owe me your life. You, yourself have said that. You owe me. And if I say we leave, then we leave. All of us. Do you understand that?" he asked reaching up and grabbing a fistful of hair, tugging it to get his point across.

She winced and through tear filled eyes, looked at him.

He glared at her, until he felt something sharp digging into his side. He moved back, letting her go and looking down at the blood spot on his new white shirt.

He looked up at her, his eyes filled with rage. "You bitch."

She glared at him, knowing she barely cut the skin and it was nothing to be concerned about. "We aren't going anywhere. I am staying here, and Chloe, is staying with me. Like I said." She said walking over to him. "If you want to leave, then go. Alone."

He growled and moved as if he were going to grab her again. "Touch me, and I will scream." She warned.

"You don't want Beca and Jesse to find out do you? You don't want my scream to invite any unwanted visitors." She said and he huffed, stepping back.

"That's what I thought." She said. "You can't control us, not anymore. So you might as well give up now."

He glared as she walked away. She made it a few feet before turning around. "And stay away from Chloe. If you so much as look at her in a threatening way, I will kill you. We aren't your property, not anymore."

His eyes narrowed again as she turned and walked back towards camp. Letting out a breath he looked down to see there was a little more blood, but it wasn't anything serious.

Aubrey had seemingly grown a backbone. She would have never spoken to him this way before. She had no right too. He saved her. Multiple times. Chloe too. They had been friends before, why would she turn her back on him like this. Why would she choose these people over him? He let out a breath, and followed after her.

XXXXXX

That night, Jesse and Luke were on the roof of the truck, taking first watch. Beca was in the cab of the truck, her gun beside her, and a flashlight, rigged above the door so she could read.

Chloe and Aubrey were in the back, getting ready for bed and the window was cracked. She could hear them talking to each other, and tried not eavesdrop.

Aubrey was changing out of the shirt she wore that day, to change into a long sleeve to sleep in as it got colder at night.

She pulled her shirt off as Chloe got comfortable and turned carefully to grab her other one.

Beca, from the front could hear a sharp intake of breath and she stopped reading, she didn't want to evade their privacy but, Chloe's gasp alerted her.

"Bree, what the hell?" she asked and Aubrey turned toward her.

"What?"

"What happened to your back?" She asked reaching out to gently turn her so she could examine her back.

Aubrey looked confused for a moment craning her neck to look at whatever she could of her back. It had been a little sore, but she didn't think much of it.

"It's all bruised, and you have a few scrapes." She said running her fingers over it and Aubrey winced slightly. "Did you fall?"

Aubrey shook her head, still trying to remember what could have caused it, when it hit her. She stopped and shrugged Chloe's hand away gently. Then pulled her shirt on.

"Aubrey? What happened?"

Beca turned slightly, hearing the worry in Chloe's voice as well as a sternness she hadn't heard the redhead use before.

Aubrey looked at her, her eyes almost pleading, for the second time that day and Chloe understood, her shoulders tensing.

"Did Luke do this to you?" She demanded in a whisper and Aubrey shushed her.

Beca froze in the front seat, as it grew quiet. Aubrey looked up there, but Beca appeared to be reading.

"He followed me today, when I went for a walk. He wants to leave, but I said no. He got upset, it got heated and he pushed me into a tree." She said quietly and Beca felt her face grow hot.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Chloe demanded. "Did he do anything else? Did he- "

Aubrey cut her off. "No. He didn't do anything else. I, I stuck him with the knife Jesse gave me." She said.

Chloe's eyes grew. "That bloody spot on his shirt, he said he ran into the corner of the tailgate."

"No, I stuck him. I told him he isn't going to control us anymore. If he wanted to leave, then he should leave. But we weren't going with him."

"You shouldn't have done that. He is probably pissed," Chloe said and Aubrey moved closer to her.

"He won't do anything." She said. "Not to you." She pulled Chloe into her.

"We are safe here, with Beca and Jesse. They won't let him do anything. I won't let him do anything."

They had all been friends in college. Luke had been a good guy, a good friend. But after it all happened. After their friends started dying. He kind of lost it. He became territorial over them. Possessive. He had helped them, he had protected them, but along the way he lost himself and started to take his anger out on them. He went from being a friend, to being someone that they didn't recognize.

Aubrey knew Chloe feared him. She did too, up until just recently. She wasn't going to take it anymore, and she wasn't going to let him intimidate her. They weren't alone anymore, and she knew Beca and Jesse would protect them. Jesse didn't like Luke. That was obvious. And Beca, she wasn't sure if Beca liked any of them. However, she knew Beca at least, knew right from wrong, and wouldn't let him do anything.

"I'm sorry I made him angry, but I swear, I won't let him hurt you Chloe." She said and felt Chloe nod her head.

"I love you Bree."

"I love you too, Chlo. Come on, let's get some sleep."

Beca could hear them getting comfortable and looked out the front window. She hadn't expected to hear this. She had seen the blood on Luke's shirt, and didn't think much of it. Half of the blood on her body was a mystery to her, so she didn't pay any mind to his. Knowing now though, that it was there because Aubrey used her knife to get him away from her. Made her blood boil. She didn't like him. She was indifferent about the girls, but she didn't like Luke.

She looked behind her, out the window, to see they were laying down, cuddled together. She had no idea what he had put them through but from the way it sounded, he made it even worse for them. No wonder they were so desperate to stay with them. She had heard them; numerous times mention how safe they felt now. Now, she understood why. Aubrey was right. Luke wouldn't do anything to them. She would be watching, and she would make sure of it.

 **A/N: A little insight to their situation with Luke. Please review? I could really use them. Thanks you guys.**


	7. Never again

**A/N: FUUUUUCK. Okay, so it's a good thing. I got a job. I have orientation tomorrow. BUT. I wasn't expecting them to call today, and have me come in tomorrow. I had NO time to mentally prepare myself. I'll be there all day. And I already can't handle retail, so this should be fun. Also, I know I have been updating this, and neglecting my other stories and for those of you who read all my stuff, I am sorry. I just want to write them the way they should be written and I have no inspiration for them at the moment. So I am focusing on this until then. If you could, check out the link in my Tumblr bio. Just a simple share could mean a huge difference. Katie accidentally dropped a 25 lb. weight on her foot and we spent multiple hours in the ER last night. She has a crushed contusion, and has to be on crutches so now she is really not able to go anywhere or do anything. And now that I will be working she is going to be alone and idk how I feel about that. Anyway. Sorry for this long ass note. PLEASE REAVIEW?!**

 **ONE WEEK LATER**

To say that Beca had been watching Luke like a hawk was an understatement. However, he was too oblivious to notice. Jesse noticed. It took a day or so, but he noticed. Every time Luke would go anywhere near them, when they were alone, she locked her eyes on him, and didn't move them until she knew for certain he wasn't going to do anything.

Jesse noticed it, first when he was talking to her, he had been talking about taking Luke on a supply run and she glanced over his shoulder when Luke climbed into the back of the truck where Aubrey was currently sharpening her hunting knife. Jesse had told her to keep it and she never left the truck without it.

He could tell she wasn't paying attention and turned to see what she was looking at. When he asked, she simply shook her head and looked at him expectantly. He finished telling her his plan and noticed she would glance behind him every few seconds.

From then, he caught her watching him multiple times. He asked again, if something was wrong but she would just shake her head and continue doing whatever she was doing.

It had been a week since the incident in the woods, and Luke had taken Aubrey seriously from the looks of it. He would speak to Chloe, but never went around her when she was doing something on her own.

Jesse had taken Luke on a supply run and during that time, Aubrey and Chloe had taken it upon themselves to go into the half burnt house and try to salvage as much as they could. By the time they were finished, the couch from the living room was sitting a few feet from their fire pit and they fell down on it, high fiving each other.

Beca smirked as she pulled off her shirt, to change into a clean one. She was reaching into a duffle bag, not shy at all to be in nothing but jeans and a bra.

Chloe chose that time to look over and her jaw dropped. Aubrey gave her a funny look before looking behind her to see what Chloe was looking at. Her eyes widened and she looked away smacking Chloe's leg.

"Chloe, stop being such a dude. That is so disrespectful." She scolded in a hushed tone.

Chloe tore her eyes was from the perfect toned and porcelain skin of Becas flat stomach as she turned pulling the shirt over her head, flashing the flexing muscles in her back as she did.

"Sorry." She whispered. "But holy shit, did you expect to see all that muscle under those clothes?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Well, I am sure she has built a lot of muscle living like this."

Chloe nodded. "I'd say. Did you see that tattoo on her shoulder?"

Aubrey nodded looking behind her again as Beca pulled an old leather jacket on over the white v neck she just put on.

"Seriously Chlo, Keep it in your pants." Aubrey chuckled.

Chloe shook her head with a smile and looked back over, however, she wasn't expecting Beca to have her eyes locked on her.

She smiled a little nervously, but Becas face stayed perfectly straight. She felt her cheeks becoming hot, not understanding why she was staring at her when Beca reached behind her and grabbed her rifle. The next thing she knew, the gun was pointed at her.

Her heart stopped and her face filled with fear. "B-Beca?" She stuttered and Aubrey looked at her in confusing before turning to look at Beca. Her eyes grew once more and she instantly slammed into Chloe pinning her to the couch as a gunshot rang out.

XXXXXX

Jesse wiped the sweat from his brow as he and Luke walked back toward the truck. They had driven a few miles, luckily not too far and came across a little shopping center. It had been practically cleaned out, but Jesse couldn't believe what he had found. He knew Beca would be excited. He knew this would get her to show some sort of emotion. He tucked his findings into his jacket pocket and held his gun in front of him.

"So, Jesse." Luke started and Jesse looked at him. "I want to say I am sorry. About before. I know I was acting like an ass. It was wrong of me. You and Beca have really gone above and beyond for us and we owe you."

Jesse looked him over as they walked and nodded. "No worries. Just, try and keep the temper to a minimum, okay? Beca isn't good with that stuff and it doesn't seem to make the girls very comfortable either. We can make this work; we just need to work together."

Luke nodded. "Yeah, for sure. It's nice, you know. Having people. Having a place to sleep. Food to eat."

Jesse nodded. "Wait until Beca goes out hunting. She is a good shot, and here soon, we may be lucky enough to have some deer meat in our stomachs."

"She is pretty talented with that gun then huh?" He asked as he stepped over what he assumed was the remains of a woman. He couldn't be sure, but the smell was horrid.

Jesse nodded. "She was always a better shot than me. This just made her better." He said motioning around them. "We have had deer meat three times since it all started. And if we are lucky enough, when it gets cold we might be able to store it. Save it." He said.

Luke nodded. "That sounds awesome. I feel like it is almost unfair. To be living so comfortably during a time like this. When there are people out there starving, dying. Killing each other." He said and Jesse could hear bitterness in his voice.

"I always hated the saying, Survival of the fittest, but that is what this has come too. The strong survive. The weak don't. We have seen it happen. It has almost happened to us. Beca is too damn stubborn though." He said.

Luke looked at him. "You love her?" he asked.

Jesse looked at him. "I always have. But Beca and I go way back. We met as kids in elementary school. We grew up together, and she is like my sister. I'd do anything for her." He said looking at Luke.

He nodded. "Would you kill for her?" He asked.

There was a certain tone in his voice that set Jesse on edge. He wasn't sure what it was, but something in the way he asked it, it wasn't normal.

He looked at him again. "I have." He said. "More than once."

Luke slowed slightly as Jesse reached the truck and opened the door. They hadn't found much, so they didn't need to spend any time putting things in the back.

Luke sighed. There was a chance he underestimated them.

XXXXXX

Aubrey watched with terrified eyes as Beca set her gun down and grabbed the ankles of her target. She watched her drag it towards the trees and looked to her right to see Chloe still breathing hard.

"I-I thought, she was going to shoot you."

Chloe nodded slowly. "It got passed the noise trap. She saved us." She said. Aubrey nodded, still shaken from what just happened.

"Stay here, I am going to go help her." Chloe said standing up but Aubrey grabbed her arm.

"It's okay Bree. We won't be far; she deserves a little help."

The blonde slowly released her grip and grabbed her knife, looking around nervously. Chloe smiled at her softly before turning and hurrying toward the smaller girl.

"Here, let me help you." She said and grabbed one of its legs. Beca looked a little taken aback before she nodded and allowed her to help pull.

They made it through the tree line before Chloe spoke. "Thank you. For you know," She nodded back at the body.

Beca looked back at it and Chloe felt as though she looked almost nervous. She nodded slightly before giving one more hard pull and dropping it.

Chloe dropped it as well and looked at Beca. "Sorry for how we reacted. We didn't see it, and it looked like the gun was pointed at us."

Beca nodded and shuffled slightly. Chloe smiled a little, not used to seeing her acting almost shy.

"Should we go back?" She asked and Beca didn't answer, instead she promptly turned and headed back towards camp.

Chloe followed after and when the exited the tree line, she could see the truck pulling up. They were back.

XXXXXX

"I can't believe you found seeds." Chloe smiled.

Jesse chuckled. "Yeah, they won't be any good until the weather warms up again, but when it does we can dig up an area and plant a garden. Fresh vegetables." He smiled.

Chloe smiled as well as she helped him sort through the seed packets. It was then she looked over at Beca. She was on the tailgate, studying something in her hand. She had seen Jesse give her something when they got back but she didn't know what it was.

Jesse looked up at her noticing her attention on Beca. He smiled softly and continued sorting.

"It's a charm bracelet." He said. Chloe looked at him.

"I found it, on a shelf in a gas station when we went out today. It has a few charms on it, that I knew she would like."

Chloe smiled lightly and looked over at her. "There is one on there, it's a music note. Her mom, she loved music and taught Beca so much about it."

Chloe looked at him again. "Jesse?" She asked.

He looked up. "Yeah?"

"Was Beca always mute?"

His smile fell and he looked over at her. Then back down. "No." He said. "No. No she wasn't. Uh, something happened. In the beginning. And, it left a scar on her. She just, stopped talking."

Chloe's brow furrowed. "What was it?"

He shifted uncomfortably and looked over at Beca who was tucking the bracelet into her pocket. "It was my fault. I insisted on going into this old theater. I should have listened to her, she told me it wasn't worth it. She was right." He looked down and she could see he was struggling. "I uh, I went in and there were some of them inside. I ran out, and they followed. She didn't have a choice. She uh, she had to pull the trigger. If she didn't, we would be dead."

Chloe looked confused. "I don't understand. She saved you, why would she stop talking after- "

"She shot children." He said and Chloe stopped. "She shot multiple children. They were so young, no older than ten. She shot them, and it traumatized her. Badly. We left," he said and Chloe looked over at the girl.

"We left, and she never spoke again."

Chloe let out a breath. "She had the most beautiful voice." He said. "And man could she sing. The most beautiful sound I have ever heard."

Chloe's frown deepened. "God I miss that sound." He said and she could hear his voice becoming uneven.

"Do you think she will ever talk again?"

He looked over at Beca was knelt by the fire, poking at it with a stick. "I don't know, I… I think I might have ruined the chance of that ever happening- "

Chloe was about to ask him how when Luke walked over with a smile. "Alright, so I found something while we were out today and kept it a secret." He announced and all eyes were on him.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise." He smiled and they all waited, as he pulled a large bottle of whiskey out of his jacket.

"I am one lucky guy to have found this and I know we could all use a drink!" he said smiling proudly.

Chloe smiled shaking her head and looked to see Beca reaction. Her smile faded however as Beca stood up, her eyes troubled.

"Fuck."

Chloe looked at Jesse, in question. "What's wrong?"

Aubrey was walking over to them as Luke opened the bottle and took a large gulp. She shuddered.

"That is definitely not happening." She said "We need to be alert, not wasted."

Chloe laughed and nodded, though she could see Beca had become increasingly more uncomfortable. She was watching Luke, as he took another large drink. Jesse looked at Beca as her eyes roamed over to him and he could see them flash fearfully.

"Becs," He said and stepped forward.

"Here Jess, have a drink, to our new found friendship!" Luke smiled shoving the bottle into Jesse hands and he had no choice but to take it.

"Aubrey, look at her." Chloe said softly and Aubrey looked over at Beca who's face had become distressed.

"What's wrong with her, she looks like she has seen a ghost."

Chloe shook her head and was about to step forward, the look on Becas face was unsettling and made her worry for her.

She didn't make it far however before Beca took a breath and walked over to Jesse grabbing the bottle.

"There we go, she knows how to loosen up," Luke smiled.

Beca looked at him, her face a mixture of anger and caution. Then she turned and launched the bottle at the side of the house.

Chloe and Aubrey flinched, their eyes widening as it shattered against the old structure.

"What the fuck, you little- "Luke shouted and shoved her roughly causing her to fall, almost into the fire. Aubrey instantly grabbed Chloe.

Jesse slammed into him, knocking him back. "Don't touch her." He warned and looked at Beca as she pulled herself up from the dirt.

She looked between them, her eyes almost fearful and it made Chloe increasingly more uncomfortable. It wasn't an emotion she had seen on Beca. She didn't understand.

Jesse gave Luke another look of warning before walking over to Beca. "It's okay Beca." He said softly grabbing her arms. "It's gone. Nothing is going to happen, I promised you I would never do it again. I promised you." He said and Chloe looked at Aubrey.

Beca swallowed, her hands gripping the fabric of Jesse's sleeves as he spoke to her. "It's gone," he said and pulled her against him, wrapping her in a hug. She hugged him back, tightly. They could see her small hands grasping handfuls of his shirt.

"Never again Beca, I promise. Never again."

Chloe sighed slightly, looking at Luke. He was annoyed and shook his head before waving them off and dropped down on the couch to stare into the fire.

Aubrey loosened her grip on Chloe. She was prepared to shield her if Luke lost it, and she was sure he was going too. She was confused and a little surprised at him giving up and walking away. She too, was bothered by this sudden change in character. Beca had been so leveled, and her ability to lead them without even speaking and make them feel safe was impressive to her. To see her now, looking scared, and vulnerable. It was unsettling to say the least. Of course, she was human she had a right to feel this way. It was just unexpected and she worried about her.

Chloe chewed this inside of her cheek as she watched Jesse lead Beca toward the truck. What did he mean, he promised her? Promised her what? What would he never do again? Whatever it was, whatever Beca thought was going to happen, was triggered by the alcohol. She looked at Jesse, and narrowed her eyes. Unable to stop the sudden need to protect the girl who had been protecting them.

"He did something to her." She said softly, so only Aubrey could hear it. The blonde turned to her.

"What?" She asked in confusion, looking over at them. Jesse had literally just lifted her by the waist and set her on the tailgate.

"He said he promised he would never do it again." She said. "He did something. He told me why she doesn't speak. But I think there is more to the story than what he told me."

Aubrey grabbed her hand. "Do you think he is dangerous- "

She shook her head. "No. I actually don't. But I still think he did something, otherwise she wouldn't have just reacted like that."

Aubrey looked over at them. Jesse was now sitting on the tailgate as well, his arm wrapped around her holding her against him as she leaned into his side.

"She doesn't even look like the same person." Aubrey commented.

Chloe frowned. "No, she doesn't."

 **A/N: I want to be clear right now, that this thing Jesse did, has nothing to do with Sexual assault of any kind. I know that is a pattern in my stories. He did something bad. But it wasn't that. So no worries. Please review? I could really use your guys' awesome reviews. The long ones are my favorite! I got a few last chapter that made my day! Thank you all for reading!**


	8. Truth

Chloe sat on the old couch, looking into the fire, her mind a million miles away. Aubrey was lying next to her, her breathing even as she slept. She let her eyes drift over to the truck where Beca was currently laying in the bed. She knew she wasn't asleep either. Letting out a breath she looked over the fire, a few yards away she could see Jesse was lecturing Luke. She couldn't hear what he was saying but he was jabbing his finger into Luke's chest. She knew that was bound to end badly.

Shaking her head, she looked back down at the fire. It wasn't large, so it wouldn't attract anything. But it was big enough to keep them warm. The days were hot, but the nights were cold. The winter was coming and Chloe was nervous. Last winter had been rough. Really rough. She had become very sick and they had no way of getting her medicine. She fought through it, though there were times when she was so weak, that they couldn't move. They would have to make camp where ever it was she collapsed. Luke had become frustrated a few weeks into her sickness. He couldn't understand why she couldn't just push through it. She wasn't eating, even the small amount of food they had. She couldn't keep anything down which also bothered him. It was a waste.

Unknowingly to them, Chloe had purposely stopped eating after overhearing him ranting about it. She was sick, but she had an appetite. There were times she was sure she could keep it down, but just in case she couldn't, she didn't want to waste the little bit of food they had. She would rather Aubrey eat it. However, Aubrey caught onto this not long after, and went ballistic on Luke. He defended himself, saying he didn't tell her to starve herself. It was true, he didn't. Chloe had done it on her own. It all kind of went downhill from there.

She knew they were in a better place now. They had food, they had people. They had a warm place to sleep. She hoped that she could avoid it this year.

She was broken from her thoughts when Luke stormed back over and dropped down beside her on the couch.

She looked to see Jesse walking toward the house, his gun over his shoulder. She wasn't sure where he was going, but didn't want to call out to him and wake up Aubrey.

"Such bullshit." Luke muttered throwing one arm over the back of the couch behind Chloe.

She cleared her throat, grabbing the stick they used to poke at the fire and busied herself with that. "What is?" She asked.

"Apparently, Beca isn't good around alcohol for some dumb reason, and that is why she flipped and broke my bottle. Lucky I don't break the little bitch's fingers for- "

"Shut up Luke." Chloe snapped. "You aren't going to do anything." She said and looked down to her left where Aubrey was still sleeping. It wasn't often she snapped at him, but she was tired of his attitude.

He smiled at her and reached out. She had leaned forward to focus on the fire and felt his hand glide down her hair. She stiffened just slightly before she felt his hand fist in her hair and yank her back.

She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, dropping the stick and reaching back to grab his hand. He pressed his face close to hers.

"Watch your tone, Chlo. You and Aubrey are getting a little too big for your britches. Don't forget who got you this far." He growled shoving her away from him. She looked back at him, her eyes filled with tears. Not from fear, but form the pain of having her hair pulled so roughly. She stood up, and gently shook Aubrey.

"Bree, wake up." She said softly.

The blonde opened her eyes and looked up at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, its late. Let's see if we can sleep in the cab?" Aubrey nodded tiredly and stood up.

Luke watched the walk towards the truck, shaking his head as he laid out on the empty couch.

Chloe and Aubrey approached the truck, Chloe a little surprised to see Beca sitting up, her eyes locked across the fire, and her hand resting on her gun. Her brow furrowed when she realized Beca was looking at Luke. She felt her stomach drop. _Had she seen him grab her?_ The rocky relationship they had with Luke wasn't something she wanted to share. She didn't want to cause them any trouble.

"Beca?" She asked and the brunette looked at her.

"Would it be okay if Aubrey and I slept in the cab?" She asked.

Beca looked at them, then back to Luke and shook her head.

"Oh, okay. Um, - "she started, a little confused, and now unsure of where they would sleep as Luke had made himself comfortable on the couch.

It was then Beca moved out of the bed and motioned towards it.

"Oh, no that's okay you are using it. You need to rest."

Beca shook her head, and held her hand out. Chloe looked at Aubrey before turning back and placing her hand in Beca's. She pulled her into the back of the truck and Chloe helped Aubrey in after her.

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked.

She nodded and motioned to the tailgate.

Aubrey watched curiously. "You are going to sleep on the tailgate?" She asked.

Beca smirked and shook her head lifting her gun, letting them know she would keep watch from there.

"Oh, well, Jesse went into the house." Chloe nodded. "But really, we don't mind sleeping in the cab. You can have the bed."

Beca shook her head again and made herself comfortable on the tailgate. Aubrey looked at Chloe who looked conflicted.

She looked around the back of the tuck, before grabbing a pillow and folded up blanket. She moved over and wrapped the pillow around her shoulders. Beca flinched but relaxed when she realized what was happening.

"It's cold." Chloe said. "No reason to sit here and freeze." She said and leaned the pillow against the side of the truck. "Lean against this. It's more comfortable."

Aubrey watched as Beca seemed to so as Chloe instructed with no issue. When she was comfortable and covered, Chloe sat back.

"Thank you. For everything you do for us." She said and moved back into the bed. Beca looked over at them as they got comfortable. She wasn't sure why she felt so comfortable with the girl. What it was about her that made her feel like life wasn't so bad.

She waited until they were situated then looked back over to where Luke was already snoring on the couch.

She felt a rush of anger go through her and she took a breath. He was an ass hole. An entitled, ass hole and she was already sick of him.

XXXXXX

It was nearly two hours later and Beca was drifting off, when she heard footsteps coming toward her. She looked up and relaxed, seeing Jesse walking toward her.

"Look what I found in there." He said quietly as he approached. He held up a jar and she squinted through the darkness to see it.

"It was in a bottom cabinet, that hadn't been burned. But I was far in the back, so I must have missed it when I looked the first time."

Beca looked at it closer and a small smile appeared on her lips. "It's instant, but that will make it easier to make." He said and Beca shook the jar.

XXXXXX

The next morning, Chloe sat on the edge of the tailgate, her eyes sleepy as she attempted to wake herself up. The sun was rising slowly and it made the trees and the surrounding are glow yellow. It was very pretty to look at and if she tried really hard, she could convince herself she was simply camping.

Aubrey was making her way out of the truck when Beca walked over, holding two chipped cups in her hands.

Chloe's eyes grew as the scent hit her and she smiled at Beca, accepting a cup.

"It's no Starbucks, but it tastes good. It'll wake you up." Jesse said as he walked over with his own cup ad well as another, that he handed to Aubrey.

"Coffee?" the blonde asked taking the cup. "Where did you find it? How did you brew it?"

Beca took a generous sip from her own cup and lifted herself up to sit next to Chloe.

"I found some instant coffee last night, in the house. Just boiled some water and mixed it in." He said.

Chloe brought the cup up to her lips and tasted it. She practically moaned as the warm liquid made its way down her throat.

"Calm yourself Chlo, it's just coffee. You've had better reasons to moan like that." Luke winked as he walked up. Chloe's face fell and Beca's eyes shot to him.

"You might want to keep your mouth shut." Aubrey snapped and Jesse stared him down.

"Is there something we should know about?" Jesse asked looking at Chloe who kept her eyes down, but shook her head. He then looked directly at Luke.

He shook his head bringing his own cup to his lips. "Chloe and I have a past, that's all. Just a joke."

"Doesn't look like a joke to her." Jesse said nodding at Chloe. "Watch what you say Luke."

Luke mock saluted him and Beca glared. After what she had heard Aubrey tell Chloe, and what she had seen the night before, her temper was wearing thin.

"Aubrey, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jesse asked and Aubrey looked at him, forcing herself to keep her eyes on him, and not look at Luke.

She nodded and slid off the tailgate, looking back at Chloe. "Luke, take a walk." He said and the man let the air out of his nose before turning and walking away.

"Beca, you good?" Jesse asked and she nodded giving Chloe a small smile.

Jesse nodded and lead Aubrey away from them.

Chloe and Beca sat in silence for a few moments before Chloe spoke. "He never did anything." She said suddenly. "I know he made it sound like he did, or we might have, but we didn't. He is just disgusting." She said. Beca looked down. She could see Chloe nervously tapping her fingers against the side of her cup.

She didn't know what to do or how to make Chloe feel better. She knew she was upset, especially after the night before. Not knowing how to help her, she stepped out of her comfort zone a little and gently reached over, placing her hand on Chloe's forearm. She felt the redhead tense, but she didn't pull away. Instead she gave her a light squeeze before pulling her hand back.

She looked away shyly, not sure if her gesture did anything to help. Or if Chloe even felt comfortable with it. She felt her cheeks getting hot, and wanted to apologize somehow.

She looked back up at her, and Chloe turned and smiled at her warmly. "Thank you Beca."

She felt the redness leave her face and she smirked. She gave her one soft nod and looked off toward the trees, sipping her coffee again. Chloe smiled, watching her for a second, noticing how her eyes seemed to shine a little brighter, in the early morning sun. They were dark blue, multiple shades darker than her own blue eyes. Stormy blue. They were very pretty and she had to tear her eyes away, so she didn't seem like a creep.

She smiled again, as they both lifted their coffee at the same time.

XXXXXX

"Tell me the truth, Aubrey. Is he dangerous? Or is he just an ass?"

Aubrey had her back against the side of the house. Her eyes down. "He is an ass." She said, then looked up. "An ass that can be dangerous."

He nodded. "Has he hurt you before? You or Chloe?"

"I can take care of her." She said quickly. She didn't want Jesse to know the whole truth. She didn't want him getting after Luke.

"That isn't what I asked, Aubrey." He said, though his voice wasn't harsh or intimidating. It was soft.

"We can help you. I, I can help you. If you need it. If he is or has hurt you, either of you. We can help."

She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "How?"

"It's a new world. With new rules." Jesse said. "We can take care of it."

Aubrey looked at him with wide eyes. "What? Do you mean kill him?"

"Or make him wish we did." Jesse said.

She shook her head. "I'm taking care of it. He is realizing he isn't in control anymore. I think he is accepting it. He hasn't done anything for a long time, and I think he is learning how to live in a group again. It was just the three of us for a long time."

"No excuse." Jesse said. "I'm serious Aubrey. I won't stand for it. It won't be allowed here."

She nodded. "I understand." She said. "For now, it's okay. But, I promise if anything happens, I will tell you."

He didn't seem to like that answer, but nodded anyway. "I'll trust you." He said.

She nodded as well. "Thank you Jesse." She said as she moved away from the truck and walked back around where Chloe and Beca were.

Beca was currently loading her shotgun.

"What's going on?" Aubrey asked.

"I don't know; she is just getting it ready for something." Chloe said as Beca looked at Jesse.

"She is going hunting." He said.

"For?" Aubrey asked.

"Deer." He smiled as Beca flung the gun over her shoulder.

"Can I go?" Chloe asked.

Beca looked at her, then at Jesse who shrugged. "Can you stay quiet?" he asked. She playfully glared at him.

"I've learned." She joked.

Jesse looked back at Beca who nodded.

"Alright, get ready."

Chloe smiled and began grabbing things she would need. Soon enough, Aubrey was watching them as they walked into the trees, guns held tightly in their hands.

"Chloe going hunting. That is weird sight." She said.

Jesse smiled. "We should be eating good for a while." He said. "Wanna help me? I'm trying to get together anything useful in the house."

She nodded. "Sure."

Luke watched from the fire as they walked inside the house. He shook his head, a scowl on his face. He could see the way Chloe and Beca looked at each other, and just now, how Jesse looked at Aubrey. It made him sick. He poked at the fire, before looking up at the truck. He looked over at the house before standing up and walking over to it. He grabbed the handgun that Beca usually had strapped to her thigh and put it in the back of his pants, before moving around the truck and disappearing into the trees.

 **A/N: Ooohh, what is he up too? Thoughts? PLEASE REVIEW?! There will be a surprise next chapter!**


	9. Take Aim

**A/N: I start work tomorrow. So I couldn't help but double update. My first shift is 9 hours long soooo. Who knows when I'll be able to update again. Also, the response to this had been amazing you guys, seriously thank you. I am glad you are enjoying it, and I am also glad you are all warming up to Jesse.**

"So, you and Beca. You have known each other a long time?"

Jesse looked up from where he was kneeling next to a dresser, going through its drawers. "Yeah, since we were kids."

She nodded. "That is like me and Chloe. We met when we were in elementary school. She saw something in me. I didn't have many friends. Kids didn't like me much, but she did. For some reason." She laughed.

Jesse smiled. "What's not to like?"

She felt her cheeks grown hot and she shrugged looking down into the crate they found, where they were putting anything useful they found. "I wasn't like other kids, I didn't like to run around and play and make a fool of myself. I preferred to read at recess. I didn't like getting dirty. I spoke as if I were an adult. Kids didn't like that."

Jesse stood up, brushing his pants off as he listened. "Chloe liked all of that. She didn't judge me. She like those things about me. Said, I was different and different was a good thing."

"Well, I agree. Different is a god thing." He said. "Could you open that cupboard and see if there is anything up top we may have missed?"

She nodded and opened it, reaching up and feeling around.

"So you two went to college together? That's pretty cool."

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah, we were in our senior year, when it all happened. We would have graduated and probably be in different parts of the country by now."

Jesse could hear a hint of sadness in her voice. "Nothing there." She said closing the cupboard.

"Well, I am glad you are together. I don't know where I would be, without Beca." He said.

"Do you think you would have made this far?" She asked opening another cupboard.

He let out a breath. "I don't know. Beca has stopped me from doing a lot of stupid things. Things that probably would have got me killed."

Aubrey smiled. "Yeah, I can see that."

He put his hand over his heart. "Ouch."

She chuckled and continued searching. He was nice to talk to. It was refreshing, talking to someone, a guy particularly, that didn't either make her feel extremely uncomfortable, or unsafe. She smiled at him, as he walked into the pantry.

"Oh hey look. Peaches." He said and tossed a can out. She caught it and smiled.

"Chloe loves peaches." She said.

"Well, then Chloe should have them."

"Really? But you found them."

He walked out, holding a box of pasta. "I found this too. But they aren't only for me. I will share them." He said. "Beca doesn't like peaches. You said Chloe does, and I would imagine you would like to give them to her. See her smile?" He suggested.

She looked down at the can. "Yeah, I really would."

He walked over to her. "Then you should." He said and stepped around her to put the pasta in the crate.

She looked down and smiled tossing the can up and catching it before turning around and putting in the crate as well.

"Chloe told me, about Beca. About how she wasn't always mute." She said and Jesse seemed to deflate a little.

"Yeah." He said.

"I'm sure it's hard for you, her not speaking."

He looked up at her. "Me?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I mean, it must be hard. You are with her every day, and she doesn't speak. It must be hard. And I am sure you are worried about her."

He stared at her for a minute. "Yeah. It is hard, but I mean. It's my fault." He said. "It was my fault she stopped talking."

"It was an accident." She said. "How could you have known?"

He looked at her. She was looking at him in curiosity. "Really Jesse. You didn't know."

He let out a breath. "Yeah, you're right." He said. "But that wasn't the only mistake I made." He said. Aubrey looked at him for a second, but he looked away.

"What did you do?" She asked. He wasn't used to this. Someone asking him so many questions. He wasn't used to holding a conversation. It was nice, but he would prefer a different topic.

"Can we talk about something else?" he asked, his tone a little clipped.

She looked down, feeling as though she crossed a line. "Yeah, sorry."

He looked over, seeing her looking away, sorting through the crate.

"Hey, I am sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude. I just, it's a sensitive topic. I'm not proud of what I did and it really…damaged her." He said softly.

Aubrey looked back at him. Remembering what Chloe had said the night before. How Jesse had done something to Beca.

She wanted to ask more, but she knew already crossed the line. "I understand. I hope you know that you can trust me. If you ever need to talk or anything, you can talk to me."

He smiled. "Thank you Aubrey. I appreciate it."

She nodded. "Sure." She smiled and looked out the kitchen window. She let out a breath. Excited for Beca and Chloe to return. Hoping Jesse was right and they would have a deer. She looked off into the trees and her smile faded. Something was moving not far into the tree line.

"Hey, Jesse."

"Yeah?"

"There is something out there."

He moved over to stand by her and looked out the window. She pointed, but whatever it was, was gone.

"I don't see anything."

She let out a breath. "I swear I saw something."

"I believe you." He said, "It might have been Beca and Chloe, staying close to the tree line. If it was one of them, it would have kept coming."

She nodded. "Yeah, probably."

She gave the trees one last look before turning away to finish helping Jesse.

XXXXXX

Beca walked silently and Chloe took notice how she practically glided through the trees. She managed to avoid every snapping stick. Her feet didn't fall too heavily, and she didn't rustle the leaves hardly at all. It was as if she were hovering above the ground. She tried to be as quiet as Beca, but still occasionally broke a branch or brushed her foot through a thick pile of leaves. Beca could tell she was trying to be quiet, and couldn't help but smirk and shake her head, finding it amusing.

They hadn't been gone long, before Beca got an odd feeling in her stomach. She clutched her gun, and looked around, slowing her steps. Chloe slowed too, wanting to ask what she had seen, or heard, but she knew she wouldn't answer her. She instead readied her gun and looked around as well.

She thought she heard some rustling to her right, but when she looked, she didn't see anything. Beca was looking around, her gun raised and ready for whatever she thought was out there. Chloe looked in time to see her drop her hand and motion for her to come closer. She felt an uneasiness settle over her. She felt eyes on her, and she knew they were being watched. Nothing was moving though. She looked behind her, but saw nothing.

"Beca?" She whispered. "What is it?"

As she expected, Beca was silent, as she looked around, her eyes holding the same amount of nervousness as Chloe was feeling. Something, or someone was out there, watching them. Something that knew to stay hidden, not one of them. Something living. Which, sadly was more dangerous than the others.

Chloe could feel her heart beginning to beat faster. "Beca, I'm scared." She whispered. She didn't want to show weakness, she wanted to show Beca that she was capable of this life. Capable of going out on a hunting trip, and doing what needed to be done. But, she couldn't help it. Something wasn't right. She was scared.

Beca finally looked at her. She felt something flutter in her stomach. She wanted, for the second time that day, to comfort her. To make sure she knew she was safe, with her. These weren't feelings she had felt before. She never felt this strongly about keeping someone safe before. Jesse could handle himself. That was different. She felt as though she had to make sure Chloe knew she was safe with her. She needed her to know that. She didn't know how to show her that though.

It was then they heard a branch snap and Beca flipped around, pointing her gun in the direction of the noise. Which happened to be the direction they were coming from. They were being followed.

Chloe moved to her side, her gun raised as well. Still they saw nothing. "Beca?"

She didn't speak, just stared straight ahead, as if she could see something Chloe couldn't. It was then they heard something snap and a second later a scream of pain rang out. Beca stiffened, as she watched Luke fall to the ground a few yards away. He was screaming in pain and Chloe watched with wide horrified eyes, one hand coming up to cover her mouth.

Luke lay on the ground, his eyes wide, screams of pain echoing around them. His hands, held a gun, as if he were pointing it. However, the gun had been dropped, and his hands stayed in that position, held together by a single arrow going through the back of one hand and straight out the other.

Beca only watched for a second, before she raised her gun and pointed in the direction the arrow came from.

Chloe held her gun as well, her hands shaking as she kept her eyes locked on Luke. He couldn't move his hands. They were being held in place by the arrow.

"Don't shoot. I am no threat to you." A voice called out to them. "That man was stalking you, he raised his gun to shoot." Beca stepped back slightly as the voice got closer and Chloe followed her lead.

A few seconds later, someone stepped out of behind a tree. Beca pointed the gun at them.

"Please. Don't shoot."

Chloe looked to see it was a girl. Around there age it looked like. She had long brown hair, tied back in a high pony tail. Her jeans were tight, and ripped and her shirt was dirty and worn. She had a cross bow in her hands and a knife strapped to each thigh. A gun on her hip.

"I am no threat, I promise. I will leave you, just say the word. I saw you, but I was going to carry on my own way. Then I saw him, he was following you." She said nodding toward Luke.

Chloe looked at him, feeling anger shoot through her.

Chloe knew Beca wasn't going to answer her, so she did instead. "We know him. He is a part of our group."

The girl suddenly looked nervous and stepped back. "Shit. Oh my god, I am so sorry. I didn't now. He looked like he was stalking you. He was pointing his gun right at you, I- "

Beca held up her hand and she stopped. "I'm really sorry, please…" She said and Chloe could see the fear rising in her eyes. "Please don't kill me. I didn't mean to, I swear."

Beca looked at Chloe and nodded at her. Chloe smiled, a sense of pride coming over her. She knew what Beca was telling her.

She looked at her. "We aren't going to kill you. Thank you, for saving us." She said. "He is a part of our group, but we believe you. He probably was going to try and kill us." She looked at Luke, who was white a ghost, sweating profusely as he tried to pry his hands apart.

"Are you alone?"

She nodded. "I am; I have been for a long time."

"Do you have a camp?"

She shook her head. "I camp at night. I move during the day."

Chloe looked at Beca. The smaller brunette was studying the girl.

"What is your name?" Chloe asked.

"I'm Stacie. Stacie Conrad. If this is your territory, I will leave. I haven't taken anything from the area."

Chloe looked back at Beca and she nodded.

"Why don't you follow us back to camp?"

Stacie looked at them in confusion. "Wait, seriously?"

"You look like you could use some rest. Come back with us, meet the others." She looked at Beca, making sure she was doing the right thing. Beca nodded again and looked over at Luke.

"Maybe, help us drag him back?"

Stacie nodded. "Sure." She said. "I uh, thank you." She said as she slung the crossbow over her shoulder.

"For what?" Chloe asked as they approached Luke. He was glaring up at them. She wanted nothing more than to kick her foot out and hope it broke his neck. But she wasn't like that. His life wasn't hers to take.

"For not killing me." She said reaching down and grabbing one of his arms as Chloe grabbed the other. He grunted in pain.

Beca pointed the gun at his head as they pulled him up. "Chloe, if you say anything, I will- "he was cut off as Chloe reached out grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly and he screamed again.

"Shut up Luke. You are lucky you aren't dead."

Beca couldn't help the proud smile that formed on her lips. She wanted nothing more than to press her gun to his temple and pull the trigger, but she couldn't. She wanted to take him back. To show Jesse what he had tried to do.

"Nice shot by the way." Chloe commented as they turned and Beca jabbed the gun into his back, letting him know she was there and not to do anything stupid. She knelt down quickly, grabbing the gun he had been holding. She tucked it away and stood up following after them. Wondering, who he had been aiming at. Her, or Chloe?

 **A/N: There you go. Double update. Please review!**


	10. Nomad Conrad

**A/N: Okay so. I went from no job to 54 hours in 7 days. Tomorrow is my Friday thank goodness, I am sore, tired and ready to shut my mind off. Update on Katie, her foot is still bruised, swollen and she is still on crutches. Also, after the seizure she had a week or so ago, she has been having awful migraines, that keep her up most of the night. Her next apt couldn't come sooner. We really need to get this figured out. Sorry for the delay in updating, I know I was getting a regular schedule down, and now it's all messed up. Thanks to all that review. The long ones are the ones I live for! I LOVE reading your thoughts and opinions on the story! Okay, I will shut up now. Enjoy!**

Jesse looked over, smiling lightly as Aubrey set the can of peaches aside as they unloaded their crate. He was about to get into the back of the truck and organize. It was a lot more cramped that it was when it was just him and Beca. Now with three more, the clothes and food, and supplies took up most of the back.

He had just prepared to pull himself up when they heard an angry, pained yell. He flipped around, instantly pointing his gun toward the noise, Aubrey doing the same, her eyes widening at what she saw.

Luke was walking toward them, his hands clasped together, an arrow going through them. Beca and Chloe walking closely behind him. Aubrey was about to lower her gun, when Stacie appeared, her crossbow held tightly in her hands. Jesse pointed his gun at her, and she lifted the bow, her features tensing. They all stopped, except Luke who kept walking toward them, not aware they stopped.

Aubrey pointed hers as well, her eyes shooting nervously to Jesse, pleading with her eyes for guidance, not knowing what to do, or what was happening.

"No don't!" Chloe said, raising her hand and Jesse looked at Beca, who was glaring, but nodded. He lowered his gun and Aubrey let out a sigh as she did.

"This is Stacie," Chloe started to introduce when Jesse cut her off.

"What happened to you- "He began to ask Luke but was cut off when Beca caught up to the injured man, kicking the back of his knee. He fell and barely caught himself on his knees in front of Jesse.

Aubrey looked at Chloe and Beca in shock. The smaller brunette walked over to the truck and set her gun down. Then turned, and using one hand, raised Jesse's gun back up, so he pointed it at Luke.

"What the fuck?" Luke practically cried.

"Beca what is going on?" Jesse asked. Stacie had lowered her crossbow, and stayed back a couple yards, silently taking in her surroundings. Taking note of the car, the supplies and the number of people.

"Stacie shot him." Chloe said. "He followed us."

Jesse looked at the nomad. "You're Stacie?" He asked.

She nodded. "Yes."

"What happened?" He asked keeping his gun on Luke. She stepped forward hesitantly.

"I was walking, when I saw Beca and Chloe." She said. "I'm alone, and that is how I have been. I wasn't going to get close to them, I was going to go the opposite direction, I don't want any trouble. But, then I saw him." She said looking at Luke. "He wasn't too far behind them; he was following them."

Jesse looked at Luke, then at Beca who had pulled out her machete and was sharpening it on the tailgate.

"Usually I would have assumed they were together. He was just lagging in the back. But then as I watched, he kept ducking behind trees. His steps were silent and he was purposely staying back." She said. "He was stalking them."

Chloe had moved over to Aubrey who wrapped a protective arm around her as she listened, and glared at Luke.

"You don't know shit." Luke growled. "Is someone going to help me?!"

They ignored him, Beca only looking up to shoot him a look of disgust.

Stacie cleared her throat and went on. "I decided to follow as well. Something didn't seem right. I was right. Not long after, he got closer. His steps got louder, as if he didn't care if they heard anymore. He was hidden behind a tree, and he raised his gun, it was pointed right at them."

Jesse clenched his jaw as he looked at the man on the ground in front of him. "I didn't really think. I just shot." She said.

"Your arrow went straight through his hands." He said.

She nodded. "I've gotten better, since it all happened. I had too." She said. "I'm sorry if I misunderstood the situation. But it seemed pretty clear, he was going to kill one of them. Maybe both."

Jesse watched as she took a step back, her hands gripping the crossbow.

"Stacie, come with us." Aubrey said stretching out her arm. The brunette looked at her in confusion. Then to Jesse and Beca. Jesse gave her a small reassuring smile and Beca nodded at her once before standing up.

She looked at the two women cautiously as she approached them. "It's okay," Aubrey said as she reached them and she placed her arm around her shoulders, feeling her tense.

"Are you hungry? Do you have water?" She asked as she and Chloe lead her away from them. They honestly didn't know what was going to happen to Luke, they didn't know how Beca and Jesse handled these situations. However, whatever it was. He had it coming.

XXXXXX

Luke sat on the ground leaning against the back tire of the truck. His face sweaty, his hands still locked together. To say he was in pain was an understatement.

Beca and Jesse stood a few yards away, while Aubrey and Chloe were with Stacie on the couch. They shared some of the food with her, and gave her water. She hadn't had any in days and it showed in how quickly she drank it.

"He tried to kill you." Jesse said.

Beca had her arms crossed as she listened. "I doubt he was aiming for Chloe. He was aiming for you." He said and Beca nodded slowly. She honestly didn't know who he was aiming for. With what she had recently learned about Luke, he very easily could have been aiming for Chloe. This thought alone made her blood boil. She looked over at him and Jesse could see the anger in her eyes.

"He is dangerous. He has proved that. I think he needs to go." He said.

Beca cleared her throat and looked down at the ground, kicking a few rocks around as she thought.

"Do you agree?" Jesse asked.

She looked up at him, then over to Luke. Jesse watched her, trying to figure out what was going through her head. Surely, she couldn't be considering letting him stay.

"Beca?" He asked. She looked back at him. "Beca, please. I really need to hear you. This is kind of a big deal. I can't make this decision on my own. I need you to talk to me."

Beca watched him for a moment, her mouth opening slightly, then closing. Jesse watched, and deflated, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Come on Beca. Please, I really need you to talk to me."

He could see she was already getting anxious at even the thought of speaking. He looked over to see Luke trying to stand up. He yanked his gun out of its holster and pointed it at him.

"Sit down!" He yelled and the three on the couch flipped around at the sound.

Chloe looked at Jesse, his face red with anger, pointing the gun at Luke. Beca behind him, she looked distressed.

"Jesse, what's happening?" She called.

He looked over at her, after making sure Luke had stopped moving. "Nothing yet." He snapped and turned back to Beca. Aubrey looked at him in shock. His tone wasn't one they had heard since the first night they met. She looked at Chloe, but Chloe had her eyes on Beca.

Jesse turned back to Beca, and sighed. "Beca." He said sternly. "I need you to talk."

She narrowed her eyes slightly, getting upset herself. He didn't understand. He didn't, and he never would. He didn't know, that she couldn't. It wasn't that easy anymore. However, this didn't make her uneasiness go away.

She shook her head and he groaned. "Beca, fuck!" He practically shouted and she dropped her arms.

Chloe and Aubrey looked over and Stacie reached for her crossbow. "Why is he yelling at her?" She asked.

"I don't know." Aubrey said.

"He is trying to get her to talk." Chloe said.  
"She doesn't talk?" Stacie asked as she watched.

Chloe shook her head. "No, not for a long time." She said as they all looked back over.

"Beca, please, I cannot make this decision on my own." He said reaching out for her and Chloe and Aubrey's eyes grew, when Beca flinched away from him.

He stopped and took in her stance. She had stepped back, away from him. Her arms dropped, her eyes troubled. It was then he realized he had done it again.

He looked back, to see he was being watched and felt the shame flow over him.

"Beca," He said gently. "Please don't back away from me." He said. "I'm sorry, I promised remember. Never again." He said holding out his hands. "I'm sorry I lost my temper."

They watched as she allowed him to walk closer and wrap his arms around her.

Aubrey looked at Chloe. Knowing her theory that Jesse had done something was right. Stacie was confused but held her crossbow, as if waiting for Jesse to do something. She didn't know them, but she was a strong believer in protecting other women. She had seen and been through a lot on her own. She stopped Luke from killing one or both of them, and she would shoot Jesse too if she felt she had too. It didn't make any difference to her.

XXXXXX

It had taken a while, but soon enough Luke was sitting on the couch as the sun began to set. He was leaning forward, his wrists resting on a makeshift table. Jesse held him still while Aubrey, Chloe and Stacie stood behind Beca with their weapons pointed at him. Beca stood in front of him, her machete gripped tightly in her hand as she glared down at him. He was pale, his skin covered in a thick sheet of sweat.

He looked up at her, and after a moment, closed his eyes.

Chloe and Aubrey watched as Beca stepped closer and Jesse reached down securing his arms. Beca didn't waste any time, as she raised the machete and brought it down. They heard Luke's screams echo around them, before blood spilled over the small table.

 **A/N: Short one I know. But I am freaking tired. I'm so tired, my tired is tired. Please review! I love the long ones *wink wink* jk I love it all. Any way. Depending on the response this gets, it will decide what happens next in the story. So please review!**


	11. I heard her

**A/N: Alright, the reviews have spoken. I wasn't a hundred percent sure where Beca was going with the machete, that's why I said it would depend on the reviews. And, if it were a vote, it would pretty much be unanimous. Little update. Katie is now on three new meds, on top of her others. We saw the doc today, and he gave her some stuff hoping to ease her migraines. They have been keeping her up for multiple days. Hopefully they work! Please check out the link in my Tumblr bio Alright, here you go. Bear with me. Now I have to figure out how to write this.**

Chloe only looked for a moment, before she had to look away. Aubrey, however kept her eyes on the gruesome scene in front of her. She felt as though, she needed to see this. And more than that. She wanted too. She wanted to see him writhe in pain. After so long, after being whatever he decided they would be, after enduring his temper, his violent nature and his tendency to nearly get them killed. She wanted to see him suffer. She didn't look at anyone, as Beca stood back. Her machete dripping with blood. On the ground, at her feet lie two hands, held together with an arrow. His most dangerous weapon, in Aubrey's opinion, had been cut from him. And for that, she was thankful.

XXXXXX

Chloe sat in the back of the truck, on the mattress as far away from the tailgate as possible. Her knees brought up to her chest, her eyes locked on Luke.

Aubrey and Jesse, had cauterized both his wrists and wrapped them. He was still moaning, and grunting in pain. She had left the group, the moment Beca turned around, and walked away to clean her machete. Aubrey had come to check on her, bringing her some water and a half a can of corn.

She drank the water, but the corn had been left untouched. She knew Aubrey wouldn't like that, but she couldn't bring herself to eat. Her mind was in a million different places. She was scared. She had never seen something like that. Sure, they had seen a lot of fucked up shit since the world went to hell. But she had never seen someone's hands get cut off. She had never seen someone be so calm after committing such an act. Beca hadn't flinched. Not once. As if she were cutting a tree branch that was in her way. She showed more emotion when Jesse became upset, then when she literally cut off someone's hands.

She didn't know if she should be impressed, or worried. Luke had finally passed out of from the pain and she watched as Jesse moved him from the couch, to the ground behind it. Aubrey was seated on the old couch, Stacie beside her. The brunette hadn't left yet, and she wasn't sure if she would be leaving. Not that she wanted her too, she just wasn't sure what Jesse and Beca would do.

Aubrey looked up at her, every so often, just checking to see that she was still there. Jesse did too. She wondered if he truly cared how she was doing. He also looked toward the house a lot. That is where Beca had gone after it all happened. She went inside and had yet to come out.

It was getting late, and she knew Aubrey would be coming in to go to sleep soon. She shuffled a little, feeling her muscle ache from the position she was in. She didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to eat.

She looked towards the house. She wanted to see Beca. The fire crackled and danced as Jesse sat beside it, poking at it. Aubrey and Stacie were talking to each other on the couch and Chloe wondered what they would have to talk about, having just met. She shook her head and cleared her throat, before moving across the bed and swinging her legs over the tailgate.

Aubrey looked up at the movement. "Chlo? You oaky?" She asked standing up and walking over.

She nodded, though she still had a faraway look in her eyes. "Yeah, Bree. I'm fine, just… a lot to take in you know?"

Aubrey nodded with a small smile as she reached up and cupped Chloe's face in her hands. "I know." She said pressing her forehead against Chloe's Stacie who had been watching, looked away. Feeling as though she was watching a private moment.

"I know this is scary, and that Luke is…was, our friend." She said softly and Chloe nodded slowly. "But he wasn't the same Luke we met in College Chlo. He wasn't the same person we used to call a friend. He changed, this world changed him."

"I know." She said. "I know it did."

"He is still alive." Aubrey said. "When his wrists heal, if they heal. He is either going to be extremely pissed. Or extremely docile. Either way, he isn't going to hurt us anymore." She said the last part even softer. Chloe looked into her eyes. She knew that Aubrey had started to stand up to him, since they joined Beca and Jesse. She knew she was tired of the way Luke treated them. She also knew that Chloe was scared to death of him. And knowing he couldn't hurt either of them anymore, gave her piece of mind.

She nodded again, closing her eyes. Aubrey let her face go and wrapped her in a hug. "I love you Chloe. We are going to be okay. For now,"

"I know we are, I love you too." She said as she pulled back. "Is Beca in the house?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Why?"

Chloe shook her head. "I just want to speak to her." Aubrey gave her a funny look.

"I don't expect her to speak back." She smiled softly as she moved to walk toward the house.

Aubrey watched her go, before looking back to Stacie on the couch and walking over.

XXXXXX

Chloe walked through the dark, the few yards to the house and walked into the open door. It was darker inside, the fire not quite reaching to light it up. However, she could make out where the old furniture was, and could see through the bit of moon light coming in through the window.

"Beca?" She called softly as she walked through the entryway. It was silent, a lot quieter than she would expect it to be. She walked passed the kitchen, peeking in, but finding it empty.

"Hello?" She called a little louder but got no response. She walked passed the living room and down the hallway. She could see where a staircase should have been, but had crumbled in the fire. There was a partial upstairs, but no way to get up to it. They hadn't dared try to find a way up, not trusting the whole place to come crashing down.

She looked away from it and toward the door at the end of the hall. It was the back door to the house, and it was closed. She walked up to it, and looked through the cracked glass. The back yard, which was technically just more of the large field that surrounded the place, and backed into the tree line was empty. She let out a breath and turned around, ready to head back out.

However, she practically jumped out of her skin when she turned to see Beca behind her.

"Shit, Beca." She gasped, placing her hand over her heart. "You gave me a heart attack."

Beca raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her lips as if she were telling her she was being a tad bit dramatic.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't disturb you, I just, I wanted to talk."

Beca's smirk dropped and she looked down for a moment. Chloe caught what she said and mentally kicked herself. "Oh, no sorry. I mean, not talk, like have a conversation." She said quickly and Beca looked back up. "I mean, I wanted to thank you."

She got a look of confusion as a reply. "For what you did today. For what you did to Luke."

Her face relaxed a little but she wouldn't meet Chloe's eyes. "I know it must have been difficult. I just, I wanted you to know, that, he deserved it."

Becas eyes were suddenly locked on her own and she felt her breath catch. "I uh, you really did more than punish him for whatever he planned to do today. You stopped him from doing any more harm than he has already done."

Beca kept her eyes on her as she leaned against the wall and slid down it. Chloe watched, then followed after her, on the opposite wall so they sat across from each other.

"I don't know what he had planned, I don't know who he was aiming for, but I am glad Stacie was there." She said. "Luke, he wasn't always like this. He just became someone entirely different when this all happened. After we lost our group, and it was just us three, he changed. He was so possessive. He was mean, and he couldn't control his temper."

Beca looked at her, she knew where this was going, and she wondered why Chloe felt comfortable enough to confess this too her. "You saved a lot more pain than I think you will ever know, by taking his hands." She said looking down and Beca could hear the change in her voice. It was as if she wanted to say more, tell more, but at the last minute decided to cut it short.

"We really appreciate you." She said. "You are such a selfless person. In a time like this, that is hard to find. You saved us, multiple times. I owe you my life Beca." She said and reached out to touch her hand. Beca saw the motion and quickly moved her hand away, looking down, almost in embarrassment.

Chloe pulled her hand back slowly. "I'm sorry." She said. "I just, wanted to thank you."

Beca looked back to her and opened her mouth for a moment before closing it. Chloe's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly deflated when she closed it again and simply nodded.

She smiled softly. "One day, I will get to hear that voice of yours." She said gently. "I bet it sounds beautiful." She said.

Beca's cheeks tinged red and she was glad it was dark in the house or Chloe might have seen. Little did she know, she was sitting in the moon light, that was flowing through the glass window in the door. Her red cheeks were on full display and Chloe felt a sense of pride as she smiled at her.

Beca couldn't help but smile back.

Their moment was interrupted however, by the raised voice of Jesse outside, shortly followed by Aubrey's. Chloe's smile fell and she looked toward the front of the house. Beca did too and after looking at each other for another second, they both stood and headed for the front door.

They got outside to find Aubrey and Jesse standing a few inches apart, their faces angry.

"Aubrey, what happened?" Chloe asked coming up behind her and placing a hand on her back. Beca watched her movement as she stepped beside them.

"Jesse was eavesdropping on our conversation." She said still glaring at him. Chloe looked at him. As did Beca. Stacie stood a few feet away looking as equally uncomfortable as she did nervous.

"What did you hear?" She asked.

"What has Luke done to you?" He demanded rounding on Chloe. Her eyes narrowed and Beca looked at Jesse, her eyes widening.

"None of your business." She said, folding her arms. "Stay out of it."

He shook his head. "No, I heard what you said, about him not being able to hurt you anymore." He said and Beca looked at Chloe and Aubrey.

"Like I said. It is none of your business. It's handled."

"Yeah, now because Beca cut his fucking hands off. We should have killed him. I should have killed him!" He growled.

Chloe glared at him. "Like you have a lot of room to talk." She snapped and he looked at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're a hypocrite." She growled.

Jesse glared down at her, stepping closer to her and everybody tensed. Everybody but Chloe and Beca.

"What the hell did you call me?"

"Nothing," Aubrey said trying to pull Chloe back, as she squared her shoulders. "Chloe that is enough." She warned.

"If you seriously think we haven't seen Beca's reaction when you are angry, if you think we haven't heard you remind her of your promise to her, you are incredibly dumb."

"Chloe, stop." Aubrey said in a low tone.

Jesse glared at them. "You have no idea what you are talking about, so you should probably stay the hell out of it."

Stacie slowly stepped closer. Her eyes on Jesse.

"Why do you have to promise her Jesse? What is it that you will never do again?" She asked. She wasn't sure why she was getting as angry as she was. It had been an emotionally draining day, and she couldn't help it. It was like word vomit, and she couldn't stop. Becas eyes had grown impossibly large in size, and she looked between the two.

"What did _you_ do to _her_?" She demanded. Beca eyes shot to Jesse.

Jesse's nostrils flared as he glared at her. "None of your damn business. It is none of your concern. I Promised her I wouldn't do it again, and I haven't. And I won't." He shouted waking toward her. "Beca is the most important person to me. I made a mistake. We all make them, and she forgave me." He said.

His voice wasn't even; this was not a subject he wanted brought to light. "Nothing and no one will ever hurt her, myself included. She is the only reason I am still alive. She is my only reason for staying alive." He said, now hovering over her.

Chloe was still standing her ground, though she would be lying if she said she wasn't intimidated by Jesse towering over her.

"Okay, step back." Aubrey said putting herself between the two.

Jesse looked at her. "It is none of her business what happened between me and Beca in the past." He said. "Either of yours."

She nodded. "You're right." She said. "Chloe is just worried; she has seen how Beca reacts sometimes. She cares for her too. As do I. I care for both of you, all of you." She said. "There is no reason to get hostile." She said.

Jesse looked from her to Chloe and slowly deflated. "I'm sorry." He said. "I just…" He trailed off.

"It's not something either of us talk about, I mean. Beca doesn't talk…" He trailed off again, looking over at the girl in question who was looking at him with wide worried eyes.

"Dammit." He sighed. They could see him struggling with something. "Look, I'm not a bad guy. I'm not a threat to you or her or anyone that I don't need to be. It isn't something that I talk about. Beca has moved on from it, so have I."

"How do you know? If she doesn't talk?"

They all looked over to see Stacie looking at them. She had been silently watching until now.

"I just do." He said.

"You could be wrong." Chloe said.

Beca looked between them. This wasn't something she was used to. She wasn't used to being spoken about as if she wasn't standing right there.

She couldn't take it anymore and stepped over, gently reaching her hand out and placing it on Chloe's arm.

Chloe looked at her, taking in the pleading look in her eyes. She let out a breath. "Beca, have you forgiven him? For whatever he did to you?"

She nodded slowly, looking towards Jesse for a second before looking back.

She studied the two before she shook her head and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. But if we are going to do this. If we are going to continue on as a group, I think we have the right to know what happened. I think we have the right to want to understand why."

Jesse looked at Beca, who looked back at him.

It was a silent, tense moment. Aubrey wanted to tell them that it wasn't necessary. That they didn't have to tell them anything. She would be lying if she said she didn't want to know, but it was also a very sore subject and she didn't want to get on either of their bad sides.

Chloe looked at Jesse. "Will you tell us what happened?" She asked.

Jesse looked at Beca again. She held his gaze for a moment, before slowly looking away and nodding.

He closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "Yeah."

XXXXXX

It was as if they were huddled around the camp fire, telling scary stories. And it was. However, everyone was tense. Beca sat further away from them. She didn't look into the fire. She looked in a different direction. She didn't want to hear the story. She didn't want Jesse to relive it. She had forgiven him. It was in the past. But Chloe was right. If they were going to work as a group, they should understand why she is the way she is. Why she reacts to certain things, in certain ways.

Jesse cleared his throat. Not looking at anyone. He looked into the fire, keeping his eyes on the dancing flames.

Chloe and Aubrey sat side by side, on the other side of the fire. Stacie beside them.

She wasn't sure what role she played in this. She wasn't sure what she had walked into. But they hadn't asked her to leave. They hadn't tried to rob her, or kill her. They had seemed to welcome her. She wasn't sure exactly what the situation was with Beca and Jesse, but she knew it couldn't be good.

"I uh, I told you about the incident at the theater." He started slowly. "It was my fault. If I had listened to her, it might have never happened. She wouldn't have had to shoot them."

Beca was already uncomfortable enough to walk away, but she knew she couldn't.

"She stopped talking after that. I didn't think it was going to last. I thought maybe for a week or two. But then two weeks became a month. Then two, then four." He said. "It was hard to communicate. She wouldn't speak. I tried to help her through it. I tried to get her to talk. I did everything I could think of. It wasn't too long before, we both started to get agitated with each other. She wouldn't talk. I couldn't help her. I knew it was my fault, I had made her this way."

He looked over at Beca who had her knees up to her chest. Her eyes glassy, as she looked at him.

"I began to hate myself. I hated everything about myself. My idiocy. My inability to listen. I knew I had hurt her. I knew she was traumatized and it was my fault. I hated myself for making her that way. I was giving up."

Chloe looked across the fire, over to Beca. She could see her blue eyes shining with tears. She wanted to walk over to her, pull her into her arms and hold her tight. But she knew that would not be welcomed.

"Uh, one night. Before we found our last camp, we had been out looking for supplies. We found this convenient store, that hadn't been completely cleaned out. It was getting late, but they had some food and water still inside, so we were trying to get as much as we could."

Beca was starting to shift around where she was sitting. Aubrey looked over at her in concern before looking back at Jesse.

"We were almost done, when a swarm surrounded the building." He said. "We blocked the door, and stayed as quiet as possible, but it didn't move on. Something was keeping it around the building, we still don't know what." He said.

"I was looking around behind the counter, and I found a bottle of a rum. It was half empty, but it wasn't a small bottle. It was late, it was cold and I knew it would warm us up. I hadn't intended to drink so much. Beca had a couple drinks, just enough to warm her insides and make her sleepy. I had a few drinks, but the more I had, the better I seemed to feel. Alcohol seems to do that to you." He said.

Chloe was getting an uneasy feeling. Remembering Becas reaction to the alcohol Luke had found. How she freaked out and threw it against the house.

"I hadn't felt so good, in so long. I want Beca to feel that way too. I tried to get her to drink more, but she wouldn't. My drunken self, didn't understand why she wouldn't want to feel better. Why she would want to feel miserable when there was another option." He trailed off, looking in to the fire. He stayed quiet for a long while and they knew the part of the story that was coming was the part he didn't want to tell.

"I thought, if she were drunk enough, she would talk. She wouldn't have the control anymore and she would speak to me. But she refused to drink anymore. I don't know why, but it made me so mad. I just didn't understand why she wouldn't do it. Why she wouldn't want to feel better."

Beca couldn't hear anymore and they looked as she stood up and walked to the truck. Stacie watched, her eyes following every move she made as she climbed into the back of the truck and moved up on the bed, disappearing in the shadows. Jesse watched too, before looking back.

"She doesn't like to remember." He said. "Neither do I."

They stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue. "I started yelling at her. Demanding to know why she wanted to be unhappy. I was out of control. I was being stupid. I could see that she was getting scared. Something she had never been, because of me."

Chloe felt her eyes narrow. "I was yelling; I was throwing things. Anything I could find, or pick up, I was throwing. At the walls, at the shelves. At her." He said softly.

"She was terrified. She was trying to get away from me and it only made me angrier. I could hear the noise outside the door. They had heard me and they were trying to get in. I didn't care though. I guess I didn't think they would get in. I had finished the majority of the bottle and nothing was making any sense. Seeing her trying to get away from me, only made it worse. I was so angry, without reason. I didn't understand her, and I was angry with her so I hit her."

He could see them tense without even looking up. He figured he might as well keep going.

"I, I grabbed her and I shook her. I screamed at her, I demanded to know why she wouldn't help herself. Why she wouldn't speak to me. I kept shaking her, and shaking her and before I knew it, I had backer her against a wall. She was crying, and pushing me away. The only sound I had heard her make in so long, and it was her sobbing. It didn't register to me; how wrong it was. All I knew was I could hear her."

They watched as he seemed to sway a little. Knowing he was back in that place. "I uh, I didn't realize they were getting through the door. She couldn't tell me, because she was crying so hard and she couldn't motion, because I was holding her against the wall. Somewhere between me wanting to hear more of her, and realizing they had broken through, I had slammed her against the wall, and her head hit. I stopped when her legs had given out and I had to catch her before she fell. She wasn't unconscious, but she was dazed. That is when I realized we weren't alone in the store anymore."

Chloe and Aubrey were staring at him in shock. They didn't know what had happened, but to hear this, was a lot harder than they would have thought. Seeing him with her, they wouldn't have ever thought he was capable of it. Stacie glared. She didn't know their relationship now. All she knew was what she had seen that day and what she was hearing now.

"I sobered up a lot faster than I would have thought possible. They were flowing in like a broken damn, and Beca was having trouble standing up." He said. "It was a long, bloody night, I fought them off as much as I could, and I don't know when it was, but Beca was there. She had her gun, and machete, and she was fighting alongside me. She still had tears in her eyes."

Chloe shifted where she sat and Aubrey reached over, taking her hand.

"We got through it, obviously. Both covered in blood. Both exhausted. I expected her to leave. But, she didn't. I thought about leaving. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't leave her. Not unless she told me too. She was very cautious around me for a long time. She was scared of me. And she had every right to be. I never expected her to accept my apologies. I never expected her to stay with me. But she did. As they weeks went on, she became more comfortable around me. She became more trusting. She still didn't speak, and I know that what I did only made it worse. I hurt her. Mentally and physically. I hurt her and she didn't have to forgive me. But she did. I never drank again. And I will never drink again. That's why she panicked when Luke brought out the alcohol. That is why she gets nervous when I am angry and I hate myself for it every time I see the uneasiness in her eyes. With everything going on in this world, everything she has to be afraid of. I should have never become something she feared."

He looked toward the truck, knowing she was in there. Knowing she was alone, and reliving the story he just told. He knew he needed to be with her, but he didn't know if he should.

"That is what happened. I lost my mind. I attacked her. And I nearly got us killed."

Three sets of eyes were locked on him and he could feel the judgement hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"I wasn't lying when I said I, nor anyone else would ever hurt her again. Ever."

Chloe stood up and Aubrey and Jesse looked at her. "Neither will I." She said and they watched as she walked toward the truck.

"Where are you going?" He asked then turned to Aubrey. "Where is she going?"

Aubrey stood up as well. "To check on her." She said. "Like I said, Chloe is a very caring person and she already cares a great deal about Beca. If Beca will let her, she has this way of making you feel like nothing is wrong in this world." She said. "Thank you for telling the truth." She said and looked towards the truck. "I believe you."

He looked at her and smiled gently. "Thank you."

"Would it be okay if Stacie and I slept in the cab?"

He nodded. "Sure, yeah. I will sleep here." He motioned to the couch.

She nodded. "I can sleep here?" Stacie asked. Aubrey looked at her.

"Of course you can. You didn't think we were going to send you away did you?"

She looked at them shyly. "I wasn't sure. I haven't been with a group before. I have come across them, but none are so trusting."

Aubrey smiled and held her hand out. "Not sure if that's a good thing yet." She said as Stacie took her hand and they walked toward the cab of the truck.

Jesse watched them go, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Beca forgave him, and he didn't know why. He did know however, that he would never forgive himself. He would never forget the look on her face, or the sound of her cries. The bruises she wore for nearly two weeks, because of him. He would never forget the hell he put her through that night. He would never forgive himself for becoming a monster worse than the ones they were hiding from.

XXXXXX

Beca lay on her side, curled up on the mattress. She knew how to fight. To survive. She was strong, she could be ruthless. She could kill without blinking, and she could chop a man's hands off without remorse. But, she was still human. She was still hurting, deep inside. She had fears, and regrets. She had a heart, and it was very fragile. She could be strong, and brave. But she could also break just as quickly as she could swing a machete.

Chloe climbed into the back of the truck and when she sat up, to move she held a hand up, stopping her.

"It's okay Beca. Please don't go. I uh, I would like to lie with you, if that is okay?"

Beca looked at her curiously as she slowly laid back down. Her eyes moving to look over at the couch where Jesse was laying.

She nodded slowly and Chloe moved up the bed and laid down beside her. She lay a few inches from her and looked into her eyes. Seeing the exhaustion, the worry, the bloodshot red from the tears she had been crying. She reached her hand up and gently wiped them away with her thumb, before lightly resting her hand on her cheek. Her eyes closed for a moment, and she felt the girl's body tense, before she let out a breath and relaxed. Opening her eyes.

"Beca, I know you have scars. Some I see and some I don't. I know we don't know each other very well, but I want to know you. I want to know everything about you. I know what Jesse did now. I will never know what you are truly going through, but if you will let me, I want to help you. Be here for you. I will be anything you need. I know this is very straightforward, but that is just the kind of person I am. I see something in you, that I have never seen before, and I haven't even heard your voice. I don't expect you to talk. I will never force you too. You will talk when you are ready." She said.

Beca looked at her, and She could see her eyes were searching her own for something. After a moment, she reached her hand up and covered Chloe's with her own. Chloe smiled lightly, as she closed her eyes and seemed to revel in the feeling of her warm hand on her cheek.

She watched as Becas lip began to quiver and her small fingers wrapped around her hand. Chloe's smile faded and she instantly scooted closer, pulling the smaller figure into her arms. Exactly what she had been wanting to do. She felt the smaller body that was shaking against her, seem to melt into her. Her arms wrapped around her, her face tucked under chin. She was crying, silently. No sound escaped her.

Chloe knew that Beca needed this. This wasn't something she was able to do with Jesse that much was obvious. Maybe once upon a time, she could. But not now, forgiveness or not. There were some things that would never be the same. Beca had needed this for a long time, and she hadn't realized it until she felt the warmth of Chloe's hand on her face. Heard the kindness, and sincerity in her words. She hadn't shown her vulnerability, in so long and now, as Chloe was telling her it was okay, she couldn't stop it. She trusted the redhead. She trusted her more than she realized. And above that, she needed her. She needed what Chloe was offering her.

They both fell asleep like that. Beca wrapped in Chloe's warm, protective embrace. They slept soundly, more comfortably than either had slept in a long time. Aubrey had looked through the window, and smiled when she saw Chloe pulling Beca into her. She smiled more when Beca more than welcomed the contact.

When they first met, she would have never thought a girl like Beca, someone who had such a hard exterior could be so fragile. She was wrong.

 **A/N: Its late as fuck. I've been writing for hours. Please review.**


	12. Knowing

A/N: okay, people wanted this updated, so here you go! Sorry for any mistakes I wrote this on my phone. WARNING. Little bit of gore in this.

Three light taps on the side of the truck roused Beca from her sleep. Her eyes opened slowly before drifting back shut. Jesse watched from the open tailgate as she tried and failed to wake up. He smiled lightly. It had been a very long time since Beca had slept through an entire night. Not to mention the sound of him knocking on the side of the truck wasn't even enough to wake her up.

A day earlier she would have bolted out, gun ready. Today though, he watched as her eyes fell closed and she tucked herself further into the body that had held her all night. Chloe was still asleep as well, one arm tucked under Becas neck and the other wrapped around her so she was cuddled into her chest, her face resting below Chloe's chin.

Aubrey walked around the back and yawned as she looked into the back. A small smile tugged at her lips as well.

"Well, isn't that cute."

"Beca hasn't slept like this since before it all happened." He said. "She will sleep two maybe three hours at the most."

"Like I said, Chloe has a way of making you feel like nothing is wrong in the world. Also, she is a human furnace and Beca is probably the warmest she has been in a while."

"Where is Stacie?" He asked.

"She walked into the woods, I think she had to go to the bathroom."

Jesse nodded. "I don't want to disturb them, I knocked to warn them I'm was coming around but it didn't work." He chuckled. "Help me close the tailgate?"

She looked at him curiously. "Why?"

"I was going to start something for breakfast and the smoke might get in the truck and wake them up." He said.

She nodded with a smile, "That's thoughtful." She said and grabbed her side of the tailgate. Together they quietly lifted it and pushed it into place, trying to be as quiet as possible. Jesse then let the glass panel down that had cardboard taped over it and he knew they were now covered in darkness.

"Hungry?" He asked as he walked toward the fire.

"Always." She laughed as she followed him.

Jesse dropped down in front of the fire and began poking at it, trying to bring the flame back to life and Aubrey knelt next to the couch where the box of food was. Jesse smiled as it worked and stood up walking toward the house to get some more wood.

"What were you thinking of making?" She asked as she rummaged through it.

"Not sure, what is in there?"

Aubrey blew out a breath as she looked, unaware that Luke was awake and coming up behind her.

His eyes were blood shot, his face covered in dirt and sweat. Dark black circles under his eyes made him look as if he were dead.

Aubrey didn't hear or see him, when he came up behind her and using his foot, shoved her down into the dirt. She was caught off guard and flipped around, the kick had knocked the air out of her and she gasped for breath, as Luke pounced on her, using his body weight to hold her down and his right forearm pressed into her throat. He used her lack of air to his advantage and placed his other forearm over her mouth so she couldn't scream.

Jesses back was to them, a few yards away and didn't hear the muffled cry as Luke suffocated her.

Jesse had just lifted an arm full of wood when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Stacie to his left, her crossbow aimed and about to shoot.

He looked to see what she saw, as an arrow whistled through the air and Luke screamed in pain. Jesse bolted over, throwing his foot out, kicking Luke in the face and he fell off of her.

Stacie ran over dropping her crossbow on the couch.

Jesse was about to help Aubrey, when Stacie blocked him.

"Take care of him, I've got her." She said helping Aubrey to sit up as she coughed and tears steamed down her cheeks.

Stacie lifted her chin to inspect the redness of her neck. It wasn't too bad, but would definitely bruise. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed her and pulled her close.

"It's okay, you're okay." She said and relaxed when Aubrey allowed her to comfort her.

She looked over to where Jesse had just yanked the arrow out of Luke's arm.

That's when the tailgate was thrown open and Beca and Chloe both jumped out, a gun in each of their hands.

They took in their surroundings before letting their eyes settle on Jesse and Luke. It wasn't long before Chloe's eyes shot to Aubrey, and she ran over dropping beside them.

Beca watched her go for a second before walking over to Jesse and pointing her gun at Luke. His face was bloody, and a large cut was now on his cheek.

Jesse stepped back, breathing hard and looked at Beca who was looking at him expectantly.

"He tried to kill her." He said, his breathing labored.

Chloe's eyes grew and she grabbed Aubrey by the shoulders to look at her.

"Her neck." Stacie said, and Chloe looked to see the red and already bruising skin. Her eyes blazed and she looked up at her friend. Her eyes were filled with tears, and fear. She glared and looked over at Jesse and Beca. Luke was on his knees, his eyes murderous.

Her eyes met Becas and the smaller girl quirked and eyebrow in question. Jesse looked between the two and everyone was silent aside from the small breaths coming from Aubrey as she tried to calm down.

"Kill him."

There was barely a second between Chloe's words and the gunshot. A dull thud happened a moment later and then another shot rang out as Beca shot him once more. Just to be sure. Chloe looked back at Aubrey, pulling her out of Stacies grasp and into her own.

XXXXXX

"You didn't have to make that decision, Chloe."

Crystal blue eyes stayed locked on the half dug hole in front of them.

Jesse wouldn't let anyone help him, as he dug the shallow grave. Aubrey stood beside Chloe, her arm wrapped around her waist. Stacie stood a few feet away, her crossbow held by her side, keeping lookout.

"Yes I did." She said. Her voice low and almost lifeless. She hugged herself lightly, needing the comfort but not asking for it. "He tried to kill me yesterday. Or Beca, I don't know which. Maybe both." She said with a heartless laugh. "Then you, today. He didn't deserve to live anymore."

Aubrey couldn't bring herself to argue. She knew he had it coming. She just hates that it had to happen. She hates the position Chloe was put it, the choice she made. She hates Luke for turning into such a monster.

She glanced over to where Beca was standing, over his body. Her eyes scanning the area as did Stacies.

"I'm still sorry." Aubrey said quietly and Chloe could hear the pain in her voice. She slowly looked to the side, the first thing she saw was the dark purple bruising over Aubrey's neck. Then, the tear tracks down her cheeks.

She dropped her arms and wrapped one around the girl, feeling her lean into her.

"I'm sorry too Bree." She said. "This was for the best. He was dangerous, he was becoming so unpredictable and honestly... after yesterday, he didn't stand a chance anymore. He was useless without his hands. He wouldn't be able to fight or shoot or even feed himself."

Aubrey knew she was right. It was just the accepting it part she was struggling with. He had been there friend after all. Once upon a time. She tried not to think of that. Instead tying to remember the bad things. That would make it easier to accept this. The times he lost his temper, and hit one of them. The times he would find alcohol and get drunk, and come onto them. The times he succeeded.

She knew this was for the best. She just hated that this was the world they lived in now.

XXXXXX

They finished burying Luke sometime around mid afternoon and made their way back to camp in silence.

When they reached it, Beca walked over to the couch, having spotted something and Stacie and Chloe watched as she picked up a dead rabbit. She held it up by its back legs and looked at them questioningly.

Stacie stepped forward and nervously scratched the back of her neck. "Uh yeah, I shot that this morning, before everything happened." She said and Jesse and Aubrey looked over, smiles appearing on their faces at the sight.

Chloe crossed her arms uncomfortably and looked at Beca.

"There should actually be-" Stacie continued and stepped forward to where Beca found the rabbit. They watched as she pulled a squirrel out from half way under the sofa. She had dropped them there that morning after to running over to help Aubrey.

"I wanted to say thank you, for letting me stay here last night, I was going to cook them up for you before I left."

She said almost shyly.

"Why would you leave?" Jesse asked stepping forward and taking the rabbit from Beca.

"Well, I don't know, I guess I figured the invitation to stay was a one night type thing." She said.

Jesse smiled. "Well, I don't know about you three," he looked at Beca and Aubrey and Chloe. "But I think she has more than earned her welcome here."

Aubrey smiled and nodded. "I guess if Aubrey and I are allowed to have a say so, then yeah." Chloe said. "She has saved us both, I'd say she is welcome."

Stacie smiled lightly. They all looked at Beca and the smaller girl looked up at Stacie.

A few seconds passed before she smirked lightly and nodded.

"Are you sure?" Stacie asked. "I've never been with a group, I don't really know how it works."

Jesse smiled. "Well, we all pitch in. We all hunt, set traps, take watch, go on supply runs and protect each other. Which you already do very well."

Stacie blushed. "Thank you." She said as Beca reached her hand out and Stacie passed her the squirrel.

"She makes really good roasted squirrel." Jesse said as Beca moved over to the tailgate to skin the animal.

"Ever skinned an animal?" Jesse asked Chloe.

She shook her head.

"Well, why don't you go watch Beca, and Aubrey you watch me with the Rabbit."

They both looked a little hesitant.

"Come on, a little bit of blood for a hot meal." Jesse said.

They both exchanged looks before Chloe walked over to stand next to Beca. Stacie smiled to herself as she watched them. She was apart of a group. Something she never thought she could be.

Chloe watched with a look of disgust as Beca pulled the skin off of the Squirrel before cutting it open and gutting it. She felt a little queasy but pushed it aside.

"Beca, uh, I wanted to say thank you. For you know, allowing me to help you last night." She said quietly. Beca shifted slightly. They had woken up so suddenly, tangled together and she had instantly missed the contact with the younger girl when they had to separate so abruptly.

She could see that this was making her uncomfortable, but she couldn't deny that she had helped her the night before and she knew Beca couldn't either. She didn't want to make it weird, she wanted Beca to know, that she was okay with it.

"So yeah. If you ever need anything like that, I mean if you ever need someone to just, be there..." she stumbled over her words. "You know, I'm here. And I'd love to be that person." She looked down, feeling a little awkward, knowing Beca wasn't going to reply verbally. Seeing her small slender fingers currently covered in blood as she cleaned out their late lunch. She began to feel a little self conscious as the second went on.

Then, Beca looked at her, a small smile of acknowledgement on her lips before she looked back down and continued her work.

Chloe smiled. She was getting through to her. Slowly, but surely. She would crack the quiet mystery that was Beca. Eventually. Now, she was just content knowing that Beca knew she was there for her.


	13. In a broken world

A loud sigh from inside the truck caught Chloe's attention as she passed. She backed up and peeked in to see Jesse sit back on his hunches and rub his hands over his face in frustration.

"Jesse? What's wrong?" She asked. He looked at her and moved to get out of the truck. She took a step back as he jumped down and crossed her arms.

"It's time for a supply run. We are low on water, and running out of food. Stacie needs clothes, she is too tall to share anyone else's." he listed off all the things they needed. "I have no idea where the nearest town is, I don't even know where the hell we are to be honest." Chloe pursed her lips to the side as she listened. She could hear and clearly see his frustration and though she knew he wasn't like Luke, it made her nervous.

"Well, I can go." She offered. "There has to be something around here, and I haven't really made myself useful." She shrugged.

He shook his head. "No, you can't go alone,"

"Well what about Beca? We seem to communicate effectively, we could go."

Jesse eyed her for a moment. "What do you mean you communicate effectively?"

She glanced to the side then back to him. "I just mean, I can pretty much understand what she is saying, without her speaking, and I can kind of read her, tell what she is thinking."

His brow furrowed and he nodded. "Uh huh. You can do all of that, and you have barely known her two weeks?"

Chloe looked down, sensing she might have upset him in some way. She thought she had done well, being able to communicate with Beca, but Jesse seemed to be put off by it.

"Well, I-I," she stuttered but was cut off as Beca walked around the back of the truck and stopped when she saw them.

She looked at Chloe, seeing the flush of her cheeks, then glanced at Jesse seeing his narrowed eyes and stiff stance. She had caught the end of the conversation and quirked an eyebrow at him.

He let his shoulders slump and she turned and pulled her gun out of the holster on her thigh and held it out for Chloe. The redhead looked at her in confusion as she slowly reached for it.

"What's this for?" She asked cautiously and Jesse scoffed.

"I thought you could read her? Tell what she was thinking." He repeated as he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to Beca.

"You're going a supply run, you need the gun for protection." He said as he moved passed them and walked toward the house. Chloe looked down as he passed her. She had obviously angered him in some way and her stomach twisted at the thought.

She looked up at Beca slowly to find the shorter girl had been watching her.

"I'm sorry, I think I might have offended him." She said gently looking over to where Jesse entered the house. They had spent the last two days fixing it up, boarding the windows up and cleaning. Attempting to make it livable.

Beca looked over as well. She knew why Jesse was upset. She was slightly irritated with him for it. She looked at Chloe who had her arms folded over her chest. Hugging herself in a way. Her body stiff. Beca could tell she was uncomfortable. It confuses her for a moment before it dawned on her.

She stepped towards Chloe, ignoring how her body seemed to stiffen even more.

She reached out and gently squeezed her arm. Trying to show her that it was okay. That she needn't worry about Jesse or his lousy mood.

Chloe looked at her, unable to stop the small smile that curved her lips. Beca smiled back at her, just slightly before stepping back and unbuckling the holster from her thigh before kneeling down and wrapping it around Chloe's.

The redhead took a sharp breath, not expecting Beca to drop down in front of her. Nor did she expect the rush of excitement at the feeling of Becas small but skilled hands brushing against her upper thigh as she buckled the holster onto her. Her arms dropped, still holding the gun, and she stared down at her.

She gasped lightly when Beca tugged on it, making sure it was tight enough before she stood up.

"Uh, Th-Thank you." She stuttered and tried to cover it up by clearing her throat, but she couldn't cover the blush that crept up her neck and over her face.

Beca nodded with a smirk and took the gun, placing it in the holster before turning toward the truck.

Chloe looked around, meeting the knowing and amused eyes of Aubrey a few yards away.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly before walking over and closing the tail gate. Then hurrying into the truck.

XXXXXX

Aubrey and Stacie watched the truck drive down the dirt road and Aubrey chuckled.

"Did something just happen?" Stacie asked in confusion.

Aubrey nodded. "Chloe let her toner take over for a minute."

Stacie looked at her like she was stupid.

"Her what now?" She asked.

"Chloe has a thing for Beca. It's quite obvious, and she has been desperately trying to hide it, even from me. However, any sort of attention from Beca and Chloe practically melts. Did you see her space out when Beca was attaching the holster?"

Stacie grinned and nodded. "I didn't know she was into girls," the taller girl said.

"Well, she is. And Beca has caught her attention." She chuckled as she stood up. "Good. It would be nice to have something normal happen for once. I just hope Beca doesn't freak out, Chloe can be a bit overwhelming."

Stacie smiled and looked as the truck disappeared onto the road. "And what about you?" She asked as she stood up and followed Aubrey.

"What about me?" The blonde asked picking up her own gun.

"What do you prefer? Men? Or women?" She asked picking up her crossbow and following Aubrey as they went for the afternoon perimeter check.

Aubrey looked over her shoulder and smiled at her. "Both."

Stacie smiled as they walked away from the house. Going from being completely alone, to being in a group with not one, but three other women, who either preferred or felt the same about the fairer sex, which was a plus, was nice.

She looked across the field, in thought for a moment, before looking back at the girl a few feet ahead of her. Aubrey was right, it would be nice to see something as normal as a new love blossoming in the broken world they lived it. It would be even better to have it themselves.

XXXXXX

The drive was quiet. Chloe mostly keeping her eye out for any sign of, well, anything. Beca didn't exactly drive slow either, Chloe noticed. The truck never dipping below seventy MPH. She understood, and she was thankful Beca was a good driver. Easily dodging fallen trees, burnt cars, and the occasional body.

After nearly an hour they passed an old rusted sign, telling them they were 12 miles away from a town. They couldn't read the names as the sign had been badly vandalized, the names on it scratched out. It didn't matter, they were nearing a town at least and that was better than nothing.

"So, you from Georgia?" Chloe asked, trying to break the silence. She figured asking yes or no questions was harmless. Beca could just nod or shake her head.

She saw the smaller girl tense slightly before nodding, adjusting her grip on the steering wheel.

"I'm from Florida." She said. "So, not to far. Were you in college?"

She shook her head, glancing sideways at the talkative redhead. She was used to Jesses rambling. But this voice was new, kind of refreshing actually.

"High school?" She asked and got a hesitant nod. She nodded herself.

"Okay, so you're, what like, 17?" She asked, hoping she was wrong.

Beca smirked and shook her head.

"18?" She nodded and Chloe smiled.

"I'm 21." She smiled. "You're pretty good at navigating these winding roads. Are you from the mountain area?"

Another nod. "That's cool. I always wanted to live in the mountains. I guess I got my wish." She chuckled though Beca found no actual happiness behind the sound.

"I'm sorry." She said with a sigh. "For bringing so much trouble to you and Jesse." Beca looked over at her, fully for the first time.

"I mean, all the drama with Luke. The fights and the way he treated you." She said. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that before you know... I'm sorry I told you to kill him, that was wrong of me to do."

Beca looked at her curiously. Surely she couldn't mean that. The man was a menace, and he deserved what he got. She hoped the redhead didn't resent her for it.

"I should have killed him myself." She said looking over meeting Becas eyes and she slowed the truck a few miles. They didn't speak. Just exchanged a knowing glance before Beca gave her the smallest smile of understanding and turned her attention back to the road.

Chloe let out a breath. "So have you always known how to use a gun?"

Beca smirked, finding Chloe's ability to switch subjects and her inability to stay quiet, amusing. She nodded.

XXXXXX

Stacie and Aubrey walked back into camp, talking lightly about what they would scrounge up for dinner, when they heard a yell from inside the house. They looked at each other for a split second before bolting into the house.

"Help!" Jesse yelled from the back of the house and they ran down the long hall toward the back.

They entered the back room to find Jesse trapped behind a bookshelf, using it as a shield, while one of them tried to get to him.

"Holy shit." Aubrey gasped. She hadn't been this close to one for a long time, nor had she seen one that looked like this.

Her blood ran cold as it heard her and turned around. The dead white and blue of its eyes landed on her and it let out a splitting scream before charging at them.

Aubrey froze before lifting her gun but felt a strong shove from her left and was sent sprawling across the floor as Stacie raised her crossbow and hit it hard in the head. It stumbled to the side but recovered quickly.

"Aubrey the gun!" Jesse yelled as he pushed the shelf away from him. The blonde scrambled to grab it as the unusually large creature in front of her charged at Stacie again, this time knocking her back into the wall.

Jesse almost made it to Aubrey when she got the gun and jumped up, pointing it at the monster.

"SHOOT!" Stacie cried, unable to hold it off much longer and having no time to aim her crossbow.

Aubrey aimed and pulled the trigger, hitting it in the neck and it backed off for a moment before screeching again and lunging for her. She shot again and the bullet grazed the side of its head.

"Shit," she gasped and was about to pull the trigger when it fell forward, knocking her down, and landing on top of her.

She felt the weight crushing her and let out an ear piecing scream.

A/N: I know it's been a while! Sorry! I got a job and I start next week so yay! Also... I have finally been sucked into another fandom. After 5 years I didn't think it possible. But it happened. And I am in love with Lexa. Anywho. PLEASE REVIEW?! what do you think about this chapter? About jesses reaction to Chloe? To Chloe's reaction to Beca? Maybe stacie and Aubrey? I could use some nice reviews from you awesome people!


	14. Rhythm

A/N: SO I HAVE BEEN ASKED WHAT "They" ARE. AND THEY ARE TECHNICALLY ZOMBIES BUT IM TIRED OF THAT WORD. SO IN THIS, THEY WILL BE CALLED CREATURES. AND THEY WILL BE EXPLAINED.

Chloe walked down the center of the debris covered street. Her gun held down at her hip, her finger on the trigger, just in case.

Her eyes scanned the few stores that lined the street. Most of them had been completely cleaned out. Literally nothing left and Chloe could tell this frustrated Beca. She moved much quicker than Chloe, going into the stores and looking for anything useful. Chloe remained outside, keeping lookout. Only to be greeted by an increasingly more agitated Beca after every store she left empty handed.

She should be used to the quiet, but even after all this time she was still unnerved by it. Of course, in the world like it was now, the quiet was good. It was when it was loud, that she should worry.

She stopped, about fifty feet away from the store Beca had entered moments before. She could tell it had been some kind of pawn shop. A place they would have needed in the beginning. It was those shops that were raided quickly, as they had guns, bullets as well as other weapons.

The windows were broken out, and Chloe could see that it had been cleaned out from where she stood. However, Beca still searched it, not willing to miss anything.

She let out a breath, looking up into the clear sunny sky. She knew it wasn't going last, it was getting late in the year. Cold was coming. Rain, freezing temperatures. Ice, sleet and more that make surviving even more of a task.

She was broken from her thoughts by a loud banging. Not a gun shot, but metal against metal. It came from the shop Beca was in and she tensed before raising her gun and jogging toward it.

XXXXXX

"Aubrey!" Stacie called dropping beside her. "Aubrey! It's okay look!" She said and the blondes terrified screams stopped. It was then, that she realized it was dead weight on top of her. It wasn't attacking her, it was dead.

"Jesse, help me get this thing off of her." Stacie said and looked down into the terrified eyes below her.

"You're okay." She said gently and Aubrey nodded slowly as she felt Jesse and Stacie begin to roll the creature off of her. As soon as the pressure was gone, she sat up and moved backwards away from it.

It was then she saw the arrow in the back of its head. She looked at Stacie.

"Thank you." She said softly and Stacie smiled standing up and offering her a hand.

Jesse stood up as well, brushing his hands on his pants.

"What the hell is this thing?" He asked looking down at the body.

Stacie looked at him. "You're just now asking that? After all this time?"

Jesse shook his head, "No I mean, I know what they are, but this," he motioned to it. "It's huge, I've never seen one this big, or powerful."

Stacie blew out a breath. "That makes you lucky." She said.

"You've seen them this big?" Aubrey asked nodding at it.

"A few." Stacie nodded. "They are like the others, the slow ones, that aren't much stronger than us. Except, they have been around longer. This one," she said kicking it lightly with the toe of her boot. "Has probably been around since the very beginning. So over a year. It hadn't been killed, so it kept feeding. They seem to get bigger, and faster. It's almost as if not being killed is like giving it steroids. They become monstrous. More aggressive." She said.

Jesse took in this info, and looked at Aubrey who was studying the corpse.

"I guess that makes sense. It's really unfortunate, but it makes sense. Have you seen anything bigger?" She asked.

She shook her head. "No this is the biggest so far that I have seen." She said. "They still die the same way, though." She said walking over and stepping on its back as she yanked her arrow out of its head.

Aubrey looked at Jesse who seemed to be bothered by this information.

"Jesse? You okay?"

He looked at her. "No." He said. "It's bad enough the world has been practically taken over by these fucking zombie things, now we find out that if they aren't killed, they get bigger and stronger?" He asked. "What else could possibly go wrong?" He demanded before storming out of the room.

Stacie looked at Aubrey. "He doesn't take bad news well, does he?"

Aubrey smirked a little before shaking her head toward the door and the two of them left the room.

XXXXXX

Chloe stepped over what had once been the door to the shop. Now it was just a frame, the glass broken out of it. She looked around the messy shop, seeing no sign of Beca. She took a few hesitant steps, cringing as her boots crunched on the broken glass.

"Beca?" She whisper yelled. "Beca are you in here?" She knew that was a dumb question. Of course she was in there, she would have seen her leave, also, did she really expect a verbal answer?

Still, there was no sign of her and this gave her an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"Hello?" She called out in a louder but weak voice.

She took a few more steps and felt the floor shift beneath her feet. She gasped slightly and looked down. What she saw made her stomach drop. The floor was rotted, and sinking in. A pipe must have burst and ate away at the floor, making it weak. Her weight on top of it, was making it crumble.

"Shit." She muttered and let go of the gun, holding it with one hand so she could use both arms for balance as she tried to make her way off of the floor.

She only took a few steps before she heard a cracking noise and the floor began to give out. Her eyes widened and she let out a terrified yelp as her knees buckled and she fell onto all fours, the floor taking her down with it. To where? She had no idea.

"Help, please?!" She screamed. As she let go of her gun and clawed at the ground, trying to pull herself to more stable flooring.

"Beca?!" She screamed as she felt the floor finally collapse and she was falling along with all of the rotted wood from the floor.

XXXXXX

"They should be back by now. Right?" Aubrey asked as she paced nervously around the fire. Jesse who was adding wood to it, making it bigger as the night got colder looked up at her with sympathy.

"Not necessarily." He said. "We only hope for day long supply runs. They may not have even found a town yet, Beca may have stopped to camp somewhere for the night. She usually tries for at least two days, before heading back. I'm sure they will be back tomorrow. The day after, at the latest."

"Why didn't you tell me that? Did Chloe know that?"

Jesse shook his head. "No, but I'm sure she has figured it out by now." He said. "She knows how to communicate with Beca so well." He said and looked back to the fire.

Aubrey looked from him to Stacie who was currently using a knife to open a can of mixed fruit, then back to Jesse.

"Don't sound so bitter." She said and he looked up at her, his expression first angry, but quickly dissolving into apology.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Just not used to having anyone but Beca, you know?"

Aubrey smiled slightly. "Yeah kind of. I've been with Chloe, day and night, since this started. And tonight, she won't be here. And I don't know how to handle that."

He nodded. "Makes sense. I guess most people don't really like change."

She shook her head. "So much has already changed. Some was good, most hasn't been the most pleasant."

Stacie listened quietly as she portioned the mixed fruit into three separate small bowls she found in the house. It wasn't the most filling of meals. One can of fruit split between three adults. Still, it was more than she was used too and she was most definitely not going to complain.

She silently passed out the bowls and got a thank you from Aubrey and a an appreciative nod and smile from Jesse.

"I guess, it's hard for me to accept that there might be someone else, that might get through to Beca." He said. "Chloe has already got Beca to do things that I have struggled with for nearly a year. She is comfortable with Chloe, and it scares me to think, I might not be enough for her. I know it's selfish."

He looked down into his bowl and Aubrey looked at Stacie who was eating silently. She seemed to be uncomfortable but Aubrey didn't want to ask her about it right then.

"Beca is all I have had for a really long time. Even before all of this. She has been my family, since we were kids. She's like my sister." He said.

Aubrey nodded. "I understand. You care about her. But, Jesse, this is a good thing. Beca obviously needed more." She said carefully. "She needs what Chloe is more than willing to give."

Jesse nodded and looked up. "And what is that?"

Aubrey could hear the edge in his voice, but knew it wasn't something she should worry over. "Security." She said. "Chloe makes her feel safe."

"And she told you this? Beca the selective mute?"

Aubrey didn't answer right away. His last comment, stirring up a little anger of her own. He was jealous, that is all. She didn't see the need to be rude about her, seeing as she was the reason he was being so protective.

"No. She obviously didn't tell me. However," she spoke, her voice taking on a certain authority and Stacie looked up, the tone of her voice seemingly getting both of their attention.

"She goes off alone with her. She allows Chloe to banter on about nothing for hours. I'm sure she doesn't know it, but I have seen her, on multiple occasions, let her gaze linger on Chloe. She smiles at her. She smiles at her back. When Chloe isn't aware. How often did she do that before?" She didn't give Jesse the chance to answer her before she carried on.

"She slept with Chloe. You yourself said you couldn't remember the last time Beca slept for more than a couple of hours. Tell me, when was the last time she let you hold her, comfort her the way Chloe did?"

Stacie looked at Jesse, her eyes slightly wider, hoping he didn't react angrily.

He glared but looked down. "Not for years. Even before this."

Aubrey sat back. "This isn't a bad thing. If you love and care for her like you say you do. You should be over the moon, knowing she has found some sort of comfort in this shitty excuse for a world. You should be thanking Chloe, for being so willing to be that person for her."

Jesses face relaxed and his shoulders slumped. Stacie watched, her eye shifting between the two.

"You're right." He said. "I'm sorry. I guess I have a small case of Luke-itis." He smiled apologetically. "I do appreciate everything Chloe is doing for her."

Aubrey smiled. "That's more like it." She said and Stacie relaxed. Jesse chuckled and shook his head, as he turned his focus onto his dinner.

XXXXXX

It had been nearly two hours, since they finished their small dinner, and Aubrey sat on the end of the couch, her eyes on the long driveway that lead to the road, hoping to see a truck drive down it.

The fire wasn't large anymore, but it was big enough to give off the warmth they needed. Jesse had laid down on the ground, his arms behind his head. He had done a perimeter check after dinner, and found where the creature had gotten through.

He repaired the broken line and using the recently emptied cans, made it stronger in places. He had felt pretty good about his work, and was able to drift off into a light sleep.

She didn't hear or feel Stacie sit down beside her. "Hey, Aubrey?" She jolted slightly and turned her tired eyes to look at Stacie.

"Yeah?"

Stacie looked nervous. "I was just wondering, if you wouldn't mind sharing the couch? I have a bad back and I'm afraid if I sleep on the ground-"

Aubrey cut her off. "Oh no, no, of course you can." She said, "Please make yourself comfortable."

Stacie smiled. "Thank you."

Aubrey nodded as the taller girl laid down. She looked back towards the road, to find it was still empty.

"She will be okay. She is with Beca." Aubrey turned to see Stacie looking at her. "They will keep each other safe."

Aubrey nodded. "It's cold. Chloe's immune system crashes so easily. I hope wherever they are, they have a fire, and are keeping warm."

Stacie smiled, Aubrey seemed to be more of a mother figure than anything.

"You really care for her."

"She is my best friend," Aubrey said looking down at her hands. "She is all I have."

Stacie sat up. "Hey." She said gently and reached out taking her hand. "You aren't alone, Aubrey. Beca is lucky to have Chloe, but Chloe is lucky to have you. Trust that she is okay. Beca wouldn't have taken her along if she didn't think Chloe would be okay."

Aubrey smiled lightly. "I know. I still worry though." She said. She couldn't help but think about the previous winter, and how sick Chloe had been. She was terrified she would get sick again. She was used to being there with her, looking after her. She knew she could be overbearing and she knew she wasn't her mother. But she couldn't help it.

"Try to relax." Stacie said.

Aubrey let out a breath and rolled her shoulders. This elicited a small chuckle out of Stacie. "There you go."

Aubrey laughed lightly. "Hush."

"It's kind of cold out here." Stacie said, "Would you maybe want to,"

She trailed off nervously and Aubrey smirked.

"I mean you don't have too, but I thought we could stay warm if you wanted to lie with me?" She asked. Aubrey couldn't help but smile at her shyness over the innocent question. She would have never thought the girl who survived the apocalypse alone, with a crossbow as her weapon, could be as sweet at Stacie was.

"Scoot over." She smiled and Stacies face relaxed as she made room and Aubrey cuddled in next to her. Smiling as Stacies arm looped around her and she laid her head on her chest, as they intertwined their legs.

"Is this okay?" Stacie asked.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Stacie."

She felt her nod. "Thank you, for not thinking me weird, for asking."

"Of course. This is nice." She said. "And much warmer, than sleeping separately."

"Aubrey?"

"Yeah?" She asked softly, already feeling sleep begin to take over, as she relaxed into the warm embrace.

"Uh, sleep well." She said. Aubrey could tell that isn't what she had originally planned to say, but her eye lids were heavy and she decided to leave it for morning.

"You too Stacie. Sweet dreams."

XXXXXX

The temperature dropped drastically and the moisture in the air from multiple busted pipes, and flooding. Made it even colder.

Chloe slowly opened her eyes. It was dark, and damp. She could hear dripping. A steady rhythm and the pain in her head pounded angrily. She was able to look up, just enough to see the gaping hole she had fallen into. The debris was all around her. Covering most of her body, and she could feel the familiar sensation of blood running across her face.

It was so cold, and she was so tired. She couldn't see much in the dark, and she tried feebly to move under the debris that covered her. It was heavy and she was weak. She didn't know where Beca was, or if she was okay. If she was even still alive. But she could tell that it was night time. She couldn't hear anything than dripping and her own pulse pounding in her head. She was shivering, and so tired.

"Beca?" She called weakly. Her voice was rough and scratchy, and didn't carry far. She felt her eyes drifting closed again, and tried to keep them open, but it was a losing battle. Wherever Beca was, she hoped she was okay. She hoped she was warmer than she was. She hoped she was alive.

She finally gave into the pull of her eye lids and let them fall closed. Losing consciousness once again.

A/N: OH SHIT. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED?! WHERE IS BECA? Please review! I could use some good feedback on this story! And THANK YOU to those who review every chapter! You are the real MVP's you keep me going!


	15. Thirteen

The sun was slowly beginning to rise above the trees, and Jesse woke up to the sound of birds chirping. He stretched out his arms and felt his shoulders pop. The ground wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep. Sitting up, he rubbed his hands over his face and looked at the fire pit that only had a few embers in it. Grabbing the stick next to it he poked at it, then sat up on his knees and reached for some more wood. After setting it in, he looked toward the couch before looking back the fire.

It was then he realized there were two bodies entangled on the couch and he turned his head around again to look. Aubrey and Stacie were curled up on the couch, barely recognizable as two people. He let out a small sigh and looked back at the fire, as it grew in size.

He thought he had something going with Aubrey. Nothing to intense, as they barely knew each other. But he hoped to get to know her more. However, that had seemed to change the moment Stacie showed up. She had taken an interest in the girl with the crossbow, and mysterious back story. He found it hard to believe she had been alone the whole time. Everyone else bought it, but he felt as though there was more to her story. Something she didn't want to tell.

They all had secrets. She was entitled to hers. She was kind, and helpful. He couldn't help but like her. Beca trusted her. That was good enough for him. He just wished he could get Aubrey's attention back. She had surely been flirting with him in the beginning. With another sigh, he stood up and stretched again. Looking around he decided to let them sleep, while he did a perimeter check. Then he would find something for breakfast and make some more of the instant coffee.

As he grabbed his gun and walked away, checking once more that the fire was okay, Stacies eyes opened. She shifted slightly, and her eyes fell on him. She was warm, and the heat from the relit fire added to it. Aubrey was curled into her, her body heat also keeping it comfortable. She watched him walk away and yawned. The thought of getting up, and getting ready for the day, preparing for the return of Beca and Chloe, crossed her mind. Though, as she lie there and the sun rose, she relaxed under the partial weight of Aubrey. It was quiet, aside from the birds and Jesses footsteps as he left. She was warm, she felt safe. She had what she found to be the most beautiful human being, sleeping against her.

She let her eyes drift closed again. She didn't need to wake up just yet. She tightened her grip around the blonde and smiled slightly. She could get used to this.

XXXXXX

A cough erupted from Chloe's chest and her eyes opened. She had slept, though not comfortably. The broken flooring weighed on her heavily and she felt something digging painfully into her side. She was freezing and couldn't help the shivers that racked through her body. She coughed again, and moved her head as much as she could, looking around. The light was coming in just barely through the giant hole in the floor.

It was a basement. She shifted, feeling every inch of her body ache in protest. It hurt, but she knew she had to get free. It was cold, and the lower half of her body was wet, due to the broken pipes. She knew if she didn't get free she would likely freeze to death. That or starve.

"Beca?" She called weakly. She didn't know where the other girl had gone. She was only slightly frustrated that she wasn't where she thought she was. She shifted again and freed her arm. With a small gaps she relaxed and flexed her arm.

It was then she heard something move. She froze and looked around the barely lit basement. Her breathing became erratic as the realization of what it was hit her. One of them was in the basement with her.

"Fuck." She gasped and used her free arm to start shoving at the stuff on top of her. She jerked her legs hard, trying to dislodge some of the stuff and felt the muscles clench up.

She heard the noise again and stopped, looking toward the opposite side of the room. The light coming in through hole made it impossible to see the opposite side and she began to panic even more.

It was then it stumbled into the light and Chloe flinched, closing her eyes tightly. After a few seconds of no further movement, she opened them slowly and all the air seemed to leave her body as tears instantly flooded her eyes.

"Beca?" She whispered.

A few feet away, Beca stood staring at her. She looked tired, and disheveled. Her clothes were filthy, she was wet, and Chloe could see where blood was seeping through her jeans on her legs, as well as blood on her hands and face.

She took a few steps toward Chloe, and the redhead could see she was out of it. "Beca, please, help me?"

She looked down at her and nodded slowly. Chloe felt the relief flood her when Beca began lifting the large boards and various other chunks of the ceiling off of her. She helped when she was able and it wasn't long before she was free.

Beca reached down and Chloe lifted her arm, wrapping it around Beca's shoulder as she lifted her painfully to her feet. She winced and whimpered as Beca got her stable, her left hand coming up to hold Chloe's hand over her shoulder as she looped her other arm around her waist and held tightly to help her walk.

They took a few steps and ended up directly under the hole. Chloe looked up as they passed under. "Beca, where were you?" She asked.

"You're hurt." She said noting how Beca limped as well, and she could now see the right side of Beca's face was bruised and scraped up.

She didn't answer her. Instead, lead her to the other side of the room where there was a door. They walked through it, and there Chloe found herself in a room, with a concrete staircase. Beca nodded at it, then looked down at her own body.

"You fell down these?" Chloe asked as they began to climb them. Beca nodded and Chloe looked to see a small puddle of blood at the bottom of the stairs. She guess that is where Beca had landed.

"Were you here all night?" She asked. Beca nodded again as they climbed the stairs. There weren't very many. Chloe only counted thirteen. A habit she had whenever she climbed a new stair case. She never knew why she did it. She just knew that ever since she was a child, she would always make sure she knew the number of steps on a staircase that she used.

It made her feel better to know she hadn't been alone all night, though she didn't really like knowing Beca had been just a handful of yards away, and from the sound of it, she had been unconscious the whole time, and that was probably why she didn't hear her pleas for help.

They reached the top and Beca slowly let her go, stepping carefully over some broken wood and turned back around, holding her hands out. Chloe grabbed them and she helped her over. When they were back on ground level, she turned around to see that the entry way tot he basement had been covered by plywood and nailed down. Except now there was a big hole in it, where Beca must have mistakenly stepped.

She stopped them and tugged slightly on Becas hand, making her stop. The brunette looked at her in question and Chloe looked her over.

"You're hurt." She said and Beca shrugged lightly before reaching out and skimming her fingers over a bloody spot on her shirt. Chloe knew right away that was where she felt something digging into her side.

She looked down for a moment, then back up.

Beca was looking at her directly, and Chloe could see a new emotion in her eyes. She tried not to read to much into it. She was about to speak when Beca reached up and ran her thumb along Chloe's lower lip. She inhaled slightly before Beca pulled away and shrugged her jacket off of her shoulders.

Chloe looked at her curiously, before Beca held it open to her. A small smile curved her lips and she turned, letting Beca put the jacket on her. She was cold, and she knew that what Beca was doing, had everything to do with the fact that her lips were probably blue.

"Thank you Beca. For saving me." Beca smiled softly and reached up again. This time checking the cut on Chloe's forehead. Concern filled her eyes and she nodded toward the door.

"Can I check that when we get back to the truck?" Chloe asked, motioning to Beca blood soaked jeans. She looked down and nodded before taking Chloe's hand and looping her arm over her shoulder, then wrapped her other arm around her waist again and together they limped out of the store, careful to avoid anymore rotting floor.

XXXXXX

"Good morning, ladies." Aubrey opened her eyes and turned her head slightly, squinting through the sunlight to see Jesse standing next to the couch holding two cups of coffee.

She looked at Stacie and smiled lightly at her as she uncurled herself and began to sit up. Stacie stayed laying down. But propped up on one elbow. Accepting the offered cup. He crouched down beside he fire with his own cup.

"Thank you, Jesse, I don't remember the last time I had coffee." She said taking a sip. It burned her tongue but she didn't care, it tasted wonderful and she took another scalding drink.

"You're welcome." He smiled then looked at Aubrey. She had been looking down down the road.

"They aren't back yet, but I assume it will be sometime before this afternoon." He said.

Aubrey looked at him, then down into her cup. "I hope so."

Jesse gave her a sympathetic look. "Well, I was looking through what we have to eat and I thought I could make up something warm this morning, since it's been so cold these last few nights. There is a can of green beans, I thought I could warm them in the can, and I found some salt too." He said.

Stacie smiled. "Sounds great. But I'm going to go hunting, we need some meat."

"What do you think you'll find?" Aubrey asked sipping her coffee.

Stacie finished her cup and sat up all the way. Since Aubrey had sat up and hadn't moved she was in the middle of the couch and Stacie had to slide behind her to sit-up and get off the couch. She made sure to brush her hand along Aubrey's back as she did and smiled at her when she stood up.

"I don't know. Hopefully something big." She said and reached for her crossbow.

"Can I come?" Aubrey asked.

"Can you stay quiet?"

"Of course I can." She said and stood up, finishing her coffee as well. "You don't mind right?" She asked Jesse. "I just want to get mind on something other than waiting for them to return."

Jesse let out a breath before nodding. "No of course not, good luck out there. I'll just work some more in the house. We should be able to start sleeping in there soon."

"Thanks Jess." Aubrey smiled grabbing her machete, the one Beca had given her when they first met them. Jesse nodded and watched as the two walked away from camp and disappeared into the trees.

XXXXXX

Beca flinched as Chloe gently rolled up her pant leg. Her leg was covered in blood, and bruised badly.

Beca had immediately pulled out the little bit of first aid supplies they had and cleaned the cut on Chloe's forehead. It wasn't as deep as she thought it was, luckily. She still had a nice bruise around her eye and dried blood on her face, but they didn't have anything to clean it off with so they just left it until they got back to camp. Now, Chloe was rolling up the other pant leg to find her other leg in the same condition.

"Those stairs kicked your ass." She muttered, but Beca just smiled as Chloe started to clean the cuts on her knees. They were deep, probably from the concrete steps, but they didn't have anything to stitch them with.

She rummaged through the little box, and sighed. "No needles, or thread. I can't stitch them." She said looking at Beca. The smaller girl picked up the box and dug through it for a moment before lifting out a small bottle and handed it to her.

She looked at it. "Super glue?"

Beca nodded and pulled her jeans back further away from the cut so Chloe could close it.

"This doesn't seem sanitary." She said as Beca stretched her leg out so the cut would close. Chloe shook her head slightly and opened the bottle before applying it to the cut. Once it was covered she leaned down and blew on it, to speed up the drying process.

Beca felt something in her stomach when Chloe blew on the cut. But pushed it aside as Chloe was ready for the other knee.

Soon, she was rolling her pants back down and sliding off the tailgate. Chloe was closing the first aid box when Beca stopped her and turned her slightly.

"What?"

Beca reached down and lifted Chloe's shirt to look at the spot on her stomach. After a second, she grabbed the glue bottle and motioned for Chloe to get into the back of the truck.

"Do I have too?" She asked and Beca raised an eyebrow. She sighed and climbed into the truck, feeling all of her muscles protest.

Beca carefully got in after her and when Chloe just sat there, she gently pushed h down on her back. The older girl smiled, "Bossy."

Beca shook her head and lifted her shirt again. This time she cleaned the cut as best she could, trying not to touch Chloe as much as possible. She was very aware of how the muscles in her stomach would clench when her fingers brushed across it. She avoided looking at Chloe, knowing it would put help whatever she had been feeling all morning.

She worked carefully, and quickly. Though she would be lying if she said the soft skin of her stomach didn't feel nice beneath her fingers. Soon enough, however, she had closed the cut with the glue, and pulled her shirt down.

She glanced at Chloe for a second, seeing her blue eyes trained on her, and her face flushed as she put the glue away. She got back out of the truck and offered a hand to Chloe. She sat up and scooted toward the door. "Thanks." She said softly, and slid off the tailgate.

However, pain shot through her back when her feet hit the ground and she fell forward. Beca braced her legs and though it hurt like hell, she caught Chloe against her, her arms wrapping around her, holding her up. Their faces were mere inches apart and Chloe's breath caught. Their bodies pressed together felt good, and she couldn't help it as She glanced down at Becas lips, then back to her eyes, hoping the younger girl would understand, hoping she wanted the same thing. Beca looked down as well, then back up and Chloe could feel her breath on her lips. Her eyes began to flutter shut when a loud bang echoed through the air and they both jolted apart, Chloe stumbling slightly.

They looked around, unsure of where the shot came from. She looked back at Beca who was shoving the stuff back into the truck and slammed the tailgate shut. She then motioned for Chloe to get into the truck and held up a finger, as if to say 'hold on' and she hurried back toward the building.

"Beca?" She whisper yelled, unsure if she should make noise. When Beca didn't turn around, she did as she was told and got into the truck.

She looked around, not seeing anyone, but knowing that running into other people might not end well for them. Especially since they had a truck.

It seemed like forever before she looked to see Beca hurrying back toward the truck, a box in her arms. Chloe jumped out and grabbed it from her, sliding it into the front seat, and getting in as Beca climbed in her side. She pulled the keys from her pocket and started the truck. Before Chloe knew it, they were back on the main road, heading toward camp.

She looked at the box beside her and opened the lid. "Where did you-" she started, then stopped knowing Beca wouldn't answer. She looked into the box to see a few bottles of water, crackers, a box of matches, and power bars.

"This was in the basement?" She asked. Beca nodded. "In the room you fell into?"

She nodded again.

Chloe shook her head. "What's the luck? Fall through the floor, find a box of food." She looked at Beca to see her smirk. She smiled as well, looking out her window.

They had been startled by the random gunshot. But she was sure, before it happened, they were about to kiss. She could almost feel Beca's lips on hers. She reached up, tracing her lips with her fingers the way Beca had, when she had seen their blue color, and gave her her jacket.

She smiled and leaned against the seat. They didn't get much, and they were going back with more injuries than anything, but the trip wasn't a total waste. She was pretty certain now, that Beca felt something for her. She knew she definitely felt something for Beca.

XXXXXX

The sun was getting low in the sky and Jesse looked toward the tree line when he saw movement. He stood up just a Aubrey stepped out of the woods.

"Hey, come help." She said and he hurried over.

"No way." He said when he passed her. A few feet away, Stacie stood next to a dead deer.

"Yes way, this thing is heavy, can you help me get it the rest of the way to camp?"

He nodded and hurried over. She helped him pull it over his shoulder and they headed back out of the woods.

"They aren't back?" Aubrey asked as they dropped the deer near the fire.

He shook his head, "No, not yet." He said.

Stacie walked over to her and intertwined their fingers. "Come on, help me with this. They'll be here." She said softly and Aubrey nodded, following her.

It was nearly dark, and the deer was skinned and gutted. They were carving it up, when they heard the truck and Aubrey shot up from where she was kneeling.

Stacie and Jesse stood too as the headlights appeared through the trees and a few moments later the truck was pulling into its spot.

Aubrey felt the relief flood her as the doors opened.

"Chloe thank god!" She said running over as she slowly slid out of the truck, trying not to land on her feet to hard.

"Hey Bree." She said tiredly and went to hug her, but Aubrey stopped her and stood back.

"Chloe what-" she started the gently grasped her chin and angled her face to see the cut and bruises. "What happened to you?" She demanded, immediately assuming the worst. Beca had rounded the truck and was walking up to meet them when Aubrey flipped around.

"What did you do to her?!" She yelled and grabbed Beca by the arms slamming her into the side of the truck.

"Aubrey stop!" She said and pushed the blonde away from Beca who winced in pain as she straightened up.

Stacie grabbed Aubrey so she didn't lunge again. Jesse looked shocked and ready to break up whatever might happen next. Chloe however, stood protectively in front of Beca.

"You have a black eye!" Aubrey growled.

"She didn't do it," Chloe said. "We were looking through this old town, I went into a building looking for her and the floor collapsed. I fell though it and was buried under the debris all night. Beca found me this morning, she saved me. She cleaned me up." She said. "She didn't hurt me, Bree."

"You were buried all night?" Stacie asked. "Where were you?" She asked Beca.

"Why are you giving Beca the third degree. Didn't you hear Chloe? She saved her."

"She had fallen through another part of the floor, down concrete stairs, before I even entered the building. I had no idea it even happened, until this morning. She was unconscious all night."

Aubrey looked down. "I'm sorry, Beca. I just panicked." She said stepping over to her. "I'm really sorry," she said and Beca could see the guilt in her eyes.

She nodded and Aubrey looked at Chloe. "Sorry." She said.

Chloe pulled her into a hug. "I know. I understand why you freaked out. She isn't Luke, though. Just try not to be so physical next time. Beca got hurt too." She said as she pulled back.

Aubrey looked at Beca with an even guiltier expression. "I'm really sorry, can I do anything to make it up to you?"

Beca shrugged with a small smile. She didn't expect Aubrey to do anything. Instead she reached out and gave her arm a squeeze before turning and pulling the box out of the truck. After what she witnessed Luke do when he was alive, and hearing what he had done in the past, she understood Aubrey's concern seeing Chloe with a black eye.

They all looked at what was in it and divided it among them. "We are having deer for dinner." Jesse said, motioning to where they had been working to carve it up.

Beca looked at it with an impressed expression. "Stacie got it." Aubrey told them. "She is an amazing hunter."

"Well, with Stacie and Beca, we should never go hungry." Jesse laughed and they all smiled as they walked toward the fire.

"Where are you guys hurt?" Stacie asked.

"Uh, my head and side. Beca super glued it." She said as she lifted her shirt for them to see the cut. Aubrey grimaced. "Other than that my body just hurts all over. Beca's face, I cleaned the scrapes and they aren't too bad. But her knees and legs are pretty messed up. I glued the gashes in her knees from the stairs, but her chins and I'm assuming the majority of her thighs are all bruised."

"Why don't you guys just relax on the couch, we are almost done, then we will cook some up for dinner," Stacie said.

Chloe nodded. "Thank you." She said and lowered herself onto the couch. Beca looked hesitant but Chloe reached up and took her hand. "Come on, you have earned some rest." She said and Beca carefully sat down beside her.

The other three went back to work on the deer and Beca leaned back against the couch, willing her body to relax. A few moments later, she felt the softest brush of fingers on her hand and she opened them to see Chloe had her eyes closed as she laid against the couch. Her fingers absentmindedly running Over Beca's hand and wrist. She smiled lightly and closed her eyes again, relaxing into Chloe's soft touch.

A/N: Some Bechloe this chapter! More to come! I almost made them kiss this chapter. I wrote it and everything, but it just didn't feel like the right time, so I deleted it. It will come soon, I'm sure. But it wasn't the right time. My fingers just typed and I couldn't keep up with them! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW?!


	16. Stitches

A/N: short filler chapter for you guys. Trying to build up the relationships a little. In the most painful way possible.

Chloe hissed in pain as Aubrey cleaned the cut on her forehead. They had stored as much of the deer meat overnight as they could, but it was already beginning to go bad. Jesse decided to just cook as much as he could and they could eat that way.

That was how he was spending the majority of his day while Stacie wrapped the cooked meat in whatever she could find, old newspaper, plastic bags from inside the house, anything.

Stacie, Aubrey and Jesse had removed the creatures body from the back room and disposed of it in the woods as far away as they could drag it. They explained to Chloe and Beca what they had learned from Stacie about them and Chloe could only shake her head in disbelief. Chloe had told them about the gunshot they had heard before they left the town they found, and that there were more than likely other people near by. This news was unsettling to Stacie, who immediately had the urge to leave and put as much distance between them as possible.

Beca had been in the house most of the day. They nearly had the living room completely fixed up. They boarded up the window, using an old unusable blanket they had found, placing it between the glass and the board, hoping for some insulation. There was another small couch, missing its cushions, but it would still work as a place to sleep. She cleaned the floor as best she could, it was hard wood which made it a bit easier.

The chimney was particularly caved in, but they hoped it could still be used to start fires. The problem of the smoke being seen had them a bit worried, but they had to stay warm somehow.

"Well, its red and irritated, but it doesn't look infected." Aubrey said as she stepped back. Chloe nodded.

"That's good." She said and moved to stand up.

"Not so fast, let me check the other one." Aubrey said.

Chloe sighed. "It's fine, barely even hurts."

"Chloe, come on. Let me see?" Aubrey asked.

Chloe looked up at her and after a moment, blew out a breath and laid back lifting her shirt.

Aubrey's eyes grew slightly as she looked at the gash on her stomach that was held together with super glue. It was dark red and was swelling around the cut, the glue wasn't holding either. She gently ran her finger over the skin beside the cut and Chloe winced.

Chloe could see she was silently criticizing the way it was being treated.

"She did the best she could, Bree. She would have stitched it I'm sure, but we didn't have anything to do that with."

Stacie, who was only a couple feet away looked up. "I have some thread and a suture needle." She said. "I've had to give myself stitches a couple times since it started."

Aubrey looked over at her, and Chloe let her head fall back. She really preferred the glue over a needle being repeatedly pulled through her skin.

"Can we use it?" Aubrey asked, "Im worried this will get infected."

"Of course." She said standing up and digging through a small bag they hadn't noticed she was carrying until now. She saw their looks and smiled.

"I keep the needle and thread and anything else I might need medically in this." She said pulling out what they needed. "As of now, that is all I have left."

Aubrey nodded as she took it from her. "Thank you Stacie."

She nodded and moved back over to the fire. "Hey, Jesse, can you get me the matches? I need to sterilize this needle."

Chloe felt her stomach turn slightly and took a deep breath. "Chloe, this needs to be done, you can't get an infection, we don't have anything to treat it and the glue isn't holding." Aubrey spoke as Beca walked out of the house and toward them in search of some water. They had a few bottles they combined, they were running low though and would need to find more as soon as possible.

She changed her direction, however, when she saw what Aubrey was about to do. Chloe looked up as she stepped over and Jesse looked up too.

"Do you know what you are doing?" He asked. She looked over her shoulder at him, then back to Chloe slightly nervous as she began to thread the needle.

"Yeah, I think I can manage." She said.

Chloe shot a worried look at Beca, and thankfully the brunette had chosen that moment to look at Chloe as well. She could see the trepidation in her ice blue eyes and stepped forward.

"I can do it, Beca." Aubrey said when she saw her move. Beca stopped and held up her hands, then looked back at Chloe who nodded.

Aubrey had sterilized and threaded the needle. "Shouldn't we clean it up?" Stacie asked. "Like, get the glue off and clean it out as much as possible?"

"That sounds painful." Chloe said quickly, wishing they could just leave it the way it was.

"None of this is going to feel good, Chloe, but she is right." Aubrey said, her voice uneven. "How do we get the glue off though? It's separated right here," she said pointing to the cut she the glue had come apart.

"You'll have to peel it apart." Jesse said and Chloe felt her stomach once again twist and she felt sick.

"Are you serious?" Aubrey asked.

He nodded. "How else do you plan on getting dried superglue off of skin?"

Aubrey looked at Chloe who had gone pale. "Chlo?"

"You really think it's going to get infected?" She asked.

Stacie nodded. "Chloe, it's already started. It needs to be cleaned out and stitched properly."

Aubrey and Chloe met eyes again and the redhead slowly nodded. "Just do it." She said and Aubrey nodded.

"Okay, um, Jesse will you please boil a little water?" She asked and Jesse grabbed an empty aluminum can and filled it half full with water before carefully setting it to the side, into the coals of the fire.

"Do we have anything we can use to clean it out other than water?" Aubrey asked and gently set the needle on the arm of the couch. Reminding herself to disinfect it again before she used it.

"There is a bar of soap in the truck." Jesse said.

"Better than nothing, I guess." She said and Beca jogged over to the truck and grabbed the soap out of the glove box.

By the time she got back, the water had begun to boil and Jesse took it out of the fire, carefully setting it beside Aubrey. "Okay, now I need a clean cloth." She said and Jesse looked around for a moment before also running to the truck and grabbing out one of the shirts that they had grabbed for Luke, ripping it up and taking it over to her.

"Thank you." She said as Jesse laid the cloth on the arm of the couch next to the needle.

"Okay, you ready Chloe?"

She nodded, "Just get it over with." She said closing her eyes and trying to steady her breathing.

Aubrey nodded and shook out her hands, cracking her neck to the side, trying to get herself to relax.

She had just placed her fingers on either side of the cut when Chloe flinched hard and her eyes flew open.

She looked up, her eyes wide and worried and she reached her hand out. "Beca?" She asked and the smaller girl instantly moved over to the couch. Jesse watched as she took Chloe's hand and pulled her up enough so she could sit on the couch behind her.

She leaned against the back of the couch, spreading her legs so Chloe sat between them. She then pulled Chloe down gently so she lay against her and folded Chloe's arms over her chest, holding them there with her own arms.

Chloe's breath quickened as her arms were restrained. She could feel Beca shaking slightly and knew that she too, was nervous. She wondered if it were for the same reason.

They all waited a moment, letting Chloe calm down. With Beca's arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly she felt her breathing start to even out. She knew this was going to hurt, and she knew Beca chose to hold her arms down so she wouldn't try to stop Aubrey and end up making it worse.

After a minute, she nodded and Aubrey acknowledged it with her own nod before reaching out, placing her fingers on either side of the cut and pulling the glued skin apart. Blood instantly began to seep out and Chloe screamed in pain. Beca closed her eyes, releasing one of her arms in favor of reaching up and covering Chloe's mouth to muffle her screams, knowing that wasn't the last one. Chloe reached up as well and grabbed Beca's wrist.

"What are you doing, let her go," Aubrey said but Chloe shook her head quickly, tears falling from her eyes, dripping over Beca's hand and Beca realized she was holding her hand in place.

Chloe knew this was going to hurt, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop her screams of pain. She knew Beca was only trying to be sure they didn't attract anything to their camp.

"Go on." Jesse urged, "Don't draw it out." Aubrey glared up at him for a moment before grabbing the cloth and dipping it into the water.

She didn't hesitate, and started dabbing it on and around the cut, cleaning away the fresh and dried blood. "I'm sorry," she whispered as Chloe's body tensed and they could hear muffled whimpers escaping Beca's hand.

Aubrey's eyes filled with tears as she continued to clean the cut, using the soap to clean it as much as possible and Chloe cried harder as it stung.

"Bree, let me get the glue off?" Stacie asked and Aubrey looked up at her nodded. The brunette knew hat the blonde could hardly bare to be the one responsible for Chloe being in so much pain.

Aubrey moved and Stacie knelt down, unlike Aubrey who had knelt next to Chloe, Stacie grabbed her knees and opened her legs, moving between them so she could work easier.

"Sorry, not trying to invade your space." She said. "Okay, this isn't going to feel any better." She said and with the tip of her fingers, she grabbed some of the torn glue and pulled it away from the skin.

Beca felt Chloe's whole body tense and her cries hit the palm of her hand. She hated not only knowing Chloe was hurting, but being able to feel her body react to it.

It took a few minutes, but Stacie pealed away the majority of the glue. Peeling super glue off of skin is painful as it is. To peel it off of tender, irritated skin was something else. Beca threaded her fingers through Chloe's over the back of her hand as she held it against her stomach. Chloe's grip on her wrist was tight, and painful, but she wasn't going to make her let go.

She grabbed the cloth, and dipped it in the water again, cleaning it up a bit more now that the glue was off. Chloe's breath was coming out in gasps and Stacie tried to be as gentle as possible cleaning the inside of it. Finally she sat back.

"Okay, I think it's ready to be stitched." Chloe's eyes opened and she pulled Beca's hand away from her mouth, letting out a few choked breaths.

"I-I can't, no more, please," she cried.

"Chloe it's almost done. Just a few stitches, I know you can do this." Aubrey said.

"I've given myself stitches before Chloe, would you like me to do it? I'm quick." Stacie said.

She looked at Stacie, then Aubrey with red, tears eyes. "Let her help, Chlo."

Taking a deep breath, she closed eyes again and nodded. "Okay, do it."

Stacie reached for the needle, and Aubrey grabbed the matches. "Sterilize it again." She said lighting one and Stacie ran the needle through the flame a few times before shaking it out and letting it cool.

"This is probably going to hurt worse than cleaning it." She said. "Not trying to scare you, but I just want you to know what to expect."

Chloe nodded and closed her eyes, laying back against Beca and grabbed her hand, bringing it up over her mouth again. Not trusting herself to be able to stay quiet. Beca held her tight, wishing she could take the inevitable pain away.

Stacie used her left hand to pinch the cut together, and her right to pierce the skin with the needle. Beca flinched at the sound of Chloe's screams seeping through her fingers. She held her tighter and Aubrey dropped down on the couch beside them, her hand finding the one Beca was holding and she grabbed it as well. Squeezing so Chloe knew she was there as Stacie continued to thread the needle through her sensitive skin.

"We've got you, Chloe. You're going to be okay," Aubrey said through tears of her own as she watched her best friend basically be tortured. At least that's what it felt like she was watching.

Jesse moved away from them, deciding to keep an eye out just in case someone or something heard Chloe.

Another scream escaped Beca's fingers and he tensed, hoping noting was close enough to hear it.

XXXXXX

That night, Chloe lay on the mattress in the truck. The trauma from being stitched and held down had pushed her into silence the rest of the day. Her throat hurt from screaming. She was ashamed and embarrassed at how much she had let out. She looked weak, and she hated it. She hated putting Aubrey through that, and she hated that Beca had to restrain her. She was emotionally exhausted and had no energy to speak at all. She wondered if this was how Beca had felt.

They had eaten some more of the deer meat, and decided they would fully move into the house the next day. Stacie had been apologizing to Aubrey for hours, though Aubrey kept telling her it wasn't necessary. That she was glad Stacie could do it. Knowing she would have just ended up making the cut worse.

It was dark now, and Stacie and Aubrey were asleep in the cab. Aubrey had attempted to stay with Chloe but Chloe told her to stay with Stacie. She didn't give any explanation and Aubrey thought Chloe might be upset with her. But she just smiled lightly. It was the first time she had spoken since that afternoon. Jesse had decided he would stay up and keep watch, just in case whoever belonged the shot they had heard, was nearby.

Chloe lay facing the closest side of the truck, her mind wandering all over the place. She didn't hear the movement in the truck until the bed dipped. She turned slightly, to see Beca next to her. She looked at her, her expression full of guilt.

Chloe knew she must look a mess. Her eyes stung from crying so much, they were puffy and she knew they looked awful. She looked down for a minute before she felt a soft hand under her chin guiding her face back up.

Beca looked at her and smiled lightly. "Thank you, Beca." She whispered. "Thank you for your help."

Beca nodded and gently pushed Chloe to lay on her back as she lifted her shirt and peered through the darkness at the cut. The light from the fire gave her just enough light to see it. It already looked better than it had that morning.

She trailed her fingers over the skin next to it and felt Chloe's muscles clench. She pulled her hand back and looked at her.

"Does it look better?" Chloe asked in a raspy voice. Beca smiled lightly and nodded.

"Then I guess it was worth it." She said.

Beca looked down again, pulling her shirt back into place. "Beca?"

She looked at her. "Will you sleep with me tonight? I'm cold."

Beca smirked lightly and scooted down beside her. Chloe turned on her side and grabbed Beca's arm, pulling it over her, forcing Beca to come closer and soon, her front was fully pressed against Chloe's back, her arm held over her stomach.

"Thank you." She whispered. She was met with silence, the same silence she knew was coming, yet she hoped maybe Beca would whisper something back.

She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of Beca's body lull her to sleep.

A/N: your guys reviews on this are awesome! Please keep them coming?


	17. Wash it away

A/N:Started my new job three days ago, got the day off and decided to write a chapter! This one is a tad shorter than the last and it is also a lighter chapter. People are asking when Beca is going to talk...(Soon, I think) People are also questioning Stacie and her backstory, (I'm getting there.) okay, PLEASE review! You guys leave the best reviews, especially the long ones the dive into the story :) thank you all :)

"I hope you're right about this." Jesse said as he looked to his right briefly before looking ahead of him again.

It had been a couple of days since they returned, and Chloe had been able to give them a rough idea of how far away the town was they had gone too. When Stacie heard it, she told them that she had been there, and there was a river near it, that lead to a lake. They were in need of water, and Chloe perked up at the sound of a body of water large enough to submerge her body in and wash off all the dirt that was stuck to her.

They had driven back to the town, and Stacie confirmed it was the right place. Chloe could see the uneasiness on Beca's face, and she knew the younger girl was worried about the gunshots they had heard. So far though, there was no sign of anything nearby. Dead or alive.

They parked the truck in a dense thicket of trees and took what they needed. Now they were on foot, following Stacie, hoping she knew what she was talking about.

It had been nearly an hour of walking and Chloe was lagging behind. The nights were cold, but the days were hot, and with the lack of water, it was taking its toll on them. Chloe tried not to show her struggle, it wasn't only the heat, but her stomach hurt badly. The stitches held, and the swelling went down, but it still felt like it had before. It stung, and the stitches pulled with every step she took.

"You good, Chlo?" Aubrey fell into step beside her. Chloe nodded and gave her a small unconvincing smile. Aubrey knew better though and reached up, grabbing her arm gently, pulling her to a stop. Chloe winced and let out a breath, looking at her friend in annoyance.

"Bree," she said softly, pulling her arm free. "We have to keep up." She said nodding at the group that hadn't seen them stop. Aubrey nodded.

"I know that, but you need to rest." She said.

Chloe shook her head. "No, no I don't. I'm fine." She said and started to walk again.

"Chloe," Aubrey started but Chloe ignored her and tried to catch up with the group. Aubrey sighed and hurried after her.

"It's your stomach isn't it?" She asked. "Did the stitches break?"

Chloe shook her head. "No they are fine. It's just hot out here, Bree and we have been walking, it's humid, we have little water." She listed off. "I'm sorry I'm falling behind," she said. "But it has nothing to do with my stomach." She lied.

Aubrey let out a breath of frustration, and looked ahead of them, Beca was the closest to them, she too limped slightly. The cuts on her knees as well as the general soreness of her body made it hard to walk. Aubrey knew Chloe was lying and she knew that she was trying to be stronger than she needed to be.

"Well, the lake, if we ever find it, will help relax you. Beca too." She said and Chloe looked at the girl in question.

"She is limping." Chloe said. "She wouldn't let Stacie stitch her knees."

"She is as stubborn as you are." Aubrey smirked.

Chloe couldn't help the genuine smile at her friend. "Yeah, yeah, shut up." She said and returned her attention to navigating the tricky forest floor.

They were nearing hour two of their walk, when Jesse stopped, panting hard, and pointed.

"Look," he breathed, and they moved up beside him, their faces brightening.

"Oh my god," Aubrey laughed. "Look at that!" She said and they all started to make their way toward the edge of the lake. Stacie hurried along side her.

"I told you!" She said and Jesse gave her a playful shove.

Chloe smiled and carefully stepped out of the trees toward the partially sandy beach. She winced again, her hand moving up to her stomach.

She didn't realize Beca had stayed behind until she felt another hand loop around her waist and cover her own. She looked to find two concerned eyes on her own.

"I'm okay, just tired," she said. Beca nodded, but lifted Chloe's arm around her shoulders to help her walk down to the shore.

"Beca, it's okay, you can barely support your own weight." She said but Beca just raised her eyebrow at her.

"Alright." Chloe gave in. "Thank you." She said as they approached the water. Stacie and Aubrey had already stripped down to their underwear and were wading into the water. Beca had let Chloe go so she could prepare herself to get into the water and looked to see Jesse gawking at the barely dressed girls in the water.

She looked at him in annoyance and walked up to him slapping the back of his head breaking his line of sight.

"Ow!" He said rubbing the back of his head and meeting her unimpressed gaze.

"Sorry, jeez." He said grabbing the bottom of his shirt and pulling it over his head. She shook her head as he dropped his pants and kicked off his shoes, walking into the water.

Beca watched him dive under and resurface a few yards away, stretching out his arms and floating on his back.

Beca smiled lightly. Aubrey and Stacie were running their hands vigorously over their own bodies, scrubbing away the dirt and sweat.

She reached for the bottom of her own shirt when she noticed Chloe hadn't undressed. She was just standing where Beca left her, looking out over the water.

She walked over to her and gently touched her shoulder. Chloe looked at her. "Hey, Beca. Aren't you getting in?"

Beca motioned for Chloe to go first, and Chloe looked down. "Oh, I'll be in-in a minute." She said.

Beca wasn't convinced. Chloe looked at her for a moment before smiling. "Fine." She said.

"I need help, getting my shirt off. It hurts to stretch my arms, it pulls on the stitches,"

Beca nodded understandingly and moved in front of her. Chloe looked down, her cheeks ringing red as Beca reached for her shirt. She allowed the shorter girl to help her out of her shirt. Once it was off, she let out a breath. It hurt, but not as bad as it would have, if she'd done it alone.

Beca had started to reach for the button on her pants when she realized she probably didn't need help with that and yanked her hands back, her own face turning red.

Chloe smiled, kicking off her shoes and unbuttoning her jeans. Beca decided it would be a good time to turn the other way and undress herself.

After a few moments, they were both left in their underwear and Beca reached down, lifting her discarded pants off the ground and dug through the pockets. Chloe watched as she pulled out the bar of soap they had used to clean her cut.

She handed it to her and Chloe smiled.

"Thank you, Beca." She smiled, her eyes falling down and she could see all the cuts and bruises down a Beca's legs, as well a large bruise she hadn't seen on her side. Probably from the fall down the stairs. She reached out, her fingers brushing against it lightly and Beca caught her hand. Chloe looked at her, to see a smirk on Beca's lips. She pulled her hand back. "Does it hurt?" She shook her head and Chloe nodded.

"That's good." She said and nodded toward the lake.

They walked into the water and Stacie and and Aubrey who had swam out a ways were coming back in toward them.

"This feels amazing." Aubrey said and Chloe smiled at her.

"You look clean."

Aubrey nodded. "I feel clean."

"Not as clean as I am about to be," Chloe smiled lifting the bar of soap and Aubrey's eyes grew.

"Oh my god I forgot about that! Share!" Chloe moved it out of reach.

"Ah ah, Beca remembered to bring it. I think it only fair, Beca uses it first." She said and looked to the brunette who had dunked herself underwater once they were deep enough and had just resurfaced.

"Here Beca, you first." She said as Jesse swam over.

Beca shook her head as she took it and rolled it around in her wet hands, lathering them up. Aubrey and Jesse both looked in shock as Beca reached out, and with the lathered bar of soap ran it across Chloe's bare shoulder, down her back.

Chloe herself, froze slightly. She looked at Beca, who had her brow furrowed slightly as she ran the soap over her. Chloe looked at Aubrey who smiled at her and winked before Stacie pulled her away. Whispering something to her. She reached out and grabbed Jesse, and the three of them swam away.

Chloe took a breath as Beca circled around to face her, lifting palmfuls of water and dumping them on her. Chloe smiled softly and dropped down into the water fully. Beca watched as she came back up, brushing her hands back through her wet hair. Chloe reached up to where a Beca was holding the soap and gathered some of the suds. Then began cleaning her own arms as Beca dipped the soap in the water and lathered it up again.

"I don't understand." Jesse said softly as he watched Beca help Chloe clean herself."

Aubrey shook her head with a laugh. "Don't let it get to you, Jess. Look at them," she said. "Chloe is pulling Beca out of her shell a little more everyday."

"Beca isn't a physical person. She doesn't like being touched," he said as he watched Chloe take the soap and return the favor.

"Apparently she doesn't mind it as much as you thought." Stacie said as she watched Chloe run her soap covered hands over Beca's slender shoulders and across her collarbones. Jesse looked away.

"I feel like I'm intruding." He said.

"Well, we kind of are." Aubrey said looking away as well. "It just a beautiful thing to see." She said and turned to Stacie.

"Stacie, can you braid?" Stacie looked at her and nodded.

"Could you braid my hair later? Maybe it help keep it a little cleaner and a little less tangled."

Stacie nodded again. "Yeah sure." She smiled and looked at Jesse who was chuckling.

"Can you braid mine too?" He asked in a mocking tone, flipping imaginary hair over his shoulder and Aubrey laughed and splashed him.

A few yards away, Chloe couldn't help but wonder why Beca had decided to help her wash herself. She wasn't complaining, she was going to need the help anyway. She just assumed it would be Aubrey to help her.

"Beca," she asked softly and she looked at her.

"Thank you, for helping me." She said. "I'm glad you knew that I needed it."

Beca smiled lightly as she rinsed herself off. "Um, I know you've already probably done more than you want, but could you help me with my hair?" She asked and Beca nodded, instantly moving around her and lathering as much soap as she could into Chloe's hair.

She didn't know why she was so comfortable with this girl. She didn't know why she thought she could invade her personal space, or do something as intimate as washing her body. She didn't know why Chloe let her either. Or why she was grateful. She didn't know why she enjoyed it.

Well, she did. She knew exactly why. Chloe was different. She was a breath of fresh air. She was warm, and inviting. Beca hadn't felt this way before, but she knew what it was. She may have stopped talking, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how to recognize when she was falling for someone. And she was falling hard for Chloe.

Chloe cared for her. She showed her that she was there for her, and Beca was trying to be there for her as well. She tried to show her in anyway she could. By comforting her when she had stitches. By washing the dirt from her sore body. Helping her walk, washing her hair. She would do anything she could to show Chloe she cared for her. She couldn't voice it, no matter how badly she wanted too.

She knew this was bothering Jesse, she could see the curiosity and hurt in his eyes every time she allowed Chloe to do something for her, that he might have done once. She didn't know how to make him feel better. She didn't know how to make him understand this was good. That she liked it, wanted it even.

She knew Aubrey was trying to help him understand. She could tell when she spoke to him about something. She hoped one day, he might understand this was what she needed.

She hoped one day she might be able to speak to Chloe.

She scrubbed her fingers through thick red locks and felt Chloe relax into the touch. It was a few minutes before she moved back around Chloe and the red head laid back into the water, letting the soap and dirt drift from her hair. She closed her eyes, and let the sun hit her face, the water hold her up and relax her muscles. Beca smiled at her, only letting her eyes roam over her for a second before tearing them away and berating herself for doing what Jesse had done. She was more respectful that that. She washed her own hair quickly. Scrubbing harshly to be sure she got it clean enough.

Chloe was beautiful, when she was covered in dirt, bruises and dried blood. She could only imagine what she looked like with freshly cleaned skin and shiny clean hair.

She didn't feel like she had much to offer, but she wanted her hair to be clean as well, so she scrubbed hard before dropping down in the water and rinsing it out. When she surfaced, she turned and slapped the water, getting Aubrey's attention.

The blonde looked over and Beca held out the soap. With a grateful smile she swam over and took it.

"Thank you." She said and looked at Chloe who was still relaxing in the water. "And thank you for helping her."

Beca nodded lightly and fell back into the water, floating on her back as well. The water wasn't warm, but it wasn't that cold either. It relaxed her sore muscles. And she knew she needed to just let the water surround her. She closed her eyes against the sun and drifted as well.

Aubrey and Stacie helped each other with their hair and Aubrey washed Jesses as well. They were nearly out of soap by the time they finished with it and Jesse threw it up onto the shore.

"You know, even before this. I don't think I've ever seen Beca get so close to someone." Jesse said. "Back then, I guess I didn't think much of it. Now though, the majority of the population is dead. Very few of us, still have a conscience. Maybe if I had seen her this way, before it happened, this wouldn't be so different. But I didn't. And for so long, it was just us. I was her comfort, though she didn't seek it from me. I didn't even know she needed it. Not this much. Does that make me a bad friend?"

Aubrey and Stacie smiled softly. "No Jesse." Aubrey said. "You made mistakes, but you've been there for her. Had she come to you, needing comfort, you would have given it to her, right?"

He nodded, "In a heart beat."

"You are a good friend Jesse. And a good person. Something that is hard to find these days. And even harder to be." Stacie said.

Jesse nodded. "If Chloe is the person that Beca needs, the one she feels safe with, that's all I want for her." He said.

Aubrey and Stacie smiled at each other as Jesse turned away from them and swam further out.

"And this water is amazing. Stacie you are my new favorite."

Beca could've fallen asleep. Her body didn't ache in the water. She felt clean, and she knew she looked better than she had. They would filter this water, and have plenty to drink. Maybe even move camp closer to the lake. It would be stupid not too. They would have all the water they needed. Fish as well.

She was lost in her thoughts, not realizing she had drifted closer to Chloe until her fingers brushed against something. Her eyes opened and she looked to see she was next to the redhead. She hadn't bothered to open her eyes, and Beca figured she knew what it was. She closed her eyes again and reached through the water, searching for whatever she felt before. After a moment, her hand hit again, and she smiled as Chloe moved her own hand over, intertwining their fingers as they both drifted through the water.

In that moment, life was good.


	18. Pulse

"So you and Chloe have known each other a long time?"

Aubrey looked to her right, where Stacie was walking.

"We have, yeah. We uh, we actually met our freshmen year of college. We tried out for the same A Capella group."

Stacie snorted slightly, trying to hold in a laugh. "What is so funny?" Aubrey asked, though she knew the answer and she smiled at the brunette.

"A Capella huh?" She asked.

"Yes, and I will have you know, we were the tits. Best group on campus."

Stacie nodded as she walked. "Oh no, I believe you." She laughed. "It's just crazy to think you two were most likely once belting out some girly Britney Spears song."

Aubrey's jaw dropped and she playfully shoved her. "Excuse me, but we were more of the... Ace of Base type-" she was cut off by Stacie as she burst out laughing. Beca and Chloe who were walking ahead of them looked over their shoulders in confusion.

"Chloe, Stacie is making fun of us for singing Ace of Base in our A Capella group!" Aubrey called Chloe's eyes grew.

"Aubrey don't tell people that!" She scolded. "It's so not badass in a post apocalyptic world to brag about our brainless A Capella group and the girly shit we sang."

She looked at Beca who was trying to hold in a smile and she shook her head. "Don't listen to her, it was cool before the world went to shit, but now, not so much." Chloe said as they continued walking.

"I'd like to hear you sing sometime." Stacie said and Aubrey rolled her eyes. "No seriously, I bet you have a beautiful voice." She said and Aubrey looked at her, blushing slightly at the sincerity in her voice.

"Maybe, if you behave yourself." She said and Stacie mock saluted her. Aubrey chuckled as they walked and Stacie smiled at her for a moment before looking back ahead of them.

Jesse who was a few yards behind them had been listening to their conversation. He could tell Aubrey was into Stacie, and Stacie was clearly into her as well. He sighed, wishing he had made a move sooner. He really liked Aubrey and wanted to at least have a chance with her. Maybe it wasn't too late, he thought. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind. He kept an eye out, taking in their surroundings, as they made their way back to the truck. Something felt off, but their was no one around. After spending some time in the water and filling a few bottles they had so they could boil it back at camp, they decided to leave.

They had talked it over a bit, and decided it would be a horrible decision if they didn't move their camp closer to the lake. They could gather supplies from the town to build shelter, and have an unlimited water supply. They were going to go back and pack up everything they needed. They had finished the living room inside the house, but it wasn't going to be needed now.

They were nearly back to the truck when Aubrey spoke. "So tell me, what was your life like before all of this?" Aubrey asked Stacie as they walked.

Stacie shrugged. "Not bad. I lived in Florida, with my Mom and little sister." She said.

Aubrey looked at her. "They didn't make it?" She asked carefully. Stacie shook her head.

"We heard about the outbreak, and packed up as quick as we could. We wanted to get as far away from civilization as possible. We were heading north. My Mom wanted to get to our cabin, in the Chattahoochee national forest. It was secluded. It was stocked, and it was safe. But, we only made it as far as Atlanta. It was bad there. Really bad. Big city, I guess. Thats where I lost her, and my little sister." She said and looked down. Aubrey stared at the ground as she walked.

"Stacie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a so subject."

"It's okay, I know you didn't. I know a little about your past, it's only fair you know mine."

Aubrey smiled sadly. "I'm glad you found us. I can't imagine being out here all alone. I don't think I'd make it."

Stacie looked at her. "You underestimate yourself." She said and Aubrey smiled at her. She took a small breath and moved her hand, brushing her fingers against Stacies and looked down again, blushing a deep red when Stacie grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers and squeezed lightly.

"Don't be shy Aubrey. You can hold my hand anytime." She winked playfully and tugged Aubrey a little closer as they walked.

Jesse blew out a breath, his eyes on their clasped hands. So much for their still being a chance.

XXXXXX

They made it to the truck with a few hours to spare before dark and Stacie and Aubrey got in the front. Beca tossed Jesse the keys, and she took Chloe's hand, leading her around to the back.

"Don't get to comfortable back their you two." He joked as Beca helped Chloe into the back. She flipped him off as she got in herself. They had no intention of doing anything. Beca knew Chloe was hurting and that sitting up front would be uncomfortable for her. She too, was sore and didn't want to sit in the same position for the duration of the ride. Instead they lay down on the mattress in the back, as Jesse drove back onto the road. Beca stayed sitting up and lifted Chloe's shirt, making sure the stitches were okay before covering her back up and lying down next to her.

"I think you must have been a nurse in a past life." Chloe said gently. Beca looked at her curiously and smirked. Chloe turned her head so they were face to face and smiled back at her. "You are very attentive and have wonderful bedside manor." She said playfully.

Beca rolled her eyes and Chloe reached up and gently brushed her fingers over the bruises on the side of her face. "Really though. Thank you, for taking care of me. It means a lot." She said. Beca looked down, her eyes drifting closed as Chloe traced her fingers around the bruises and the outside of her eye. It felt nice and she wanted to tell Chloe that she enjoyed taking care of her. She opened her eyes, hoping to show her that way, to find Chloe just an inch from her face.

She inhaled sharply but didn't move her head. Chloe's hand stilled and she rested it on her jaw. Her thumb brushing across her cheek bone.

"Stop me, if you don't want this." She whispered and Beca felt her heart beating painfully in her chest as Chloe's eyes closed and she leaned in.

It happened so fast, she barely had time to process it. One minute, Chloe was leaning in, she could feel her breath on her lips, her hand on her face. The next, everything was spinning, including herself. It was loud and it hurt. She could hear screaming, and felt her body being thrown around the back of the truck. She felt Chloe's body against hers as the older girl tried to hold onto her.

Then it stopped. She felt an intense pain in her head, and she couldn't see anything. She was tired, and there was something heavy on top of her. It was the mattress. She tried half heartedly to push it off of her but she was so tired. She could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness.

It was quiet, then she could hear gunshots ringing out and she tensed painfully. That's when she heard the crying. Chloe's crying.

"Beca,"

She was close to her, still in the truck, but her voice was muffled. It was full of pain, and fear.

"Beca, their coming." Came a weak, trembling voice. She tried again to move the mattress, but it wouldn't budge and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. She could hear footsteps, crunching on broken glass before Chloe's terrified scream echoed in her ears and she could hear other voices, as well as a struggle.

Her eyes finally fell closed and she let the darkness come as something grabbed her ankle and pulled her from under the mattress.

XXXXXX

"S-Stacie." Aubrey gasped. Stacie was unmoving next to her. Hung upside down but the seatbelt. "Stacie, please wake up." She begged, feeling blood dripping down her face, though she couldn't feel where it was coming from.

"Aubrey?" She looked to her left to see Jesse crouching outside the busted drivers side window.

"Jesse," she whispered. "Jesse please, get me out of here." Jesse nodded and crawled back into the cab carefully and unbuckled Aubrey's seatbelt. She fell from where she was hanging and Jesse helped her out of the truck.

"Stacie, I think she's dead," she cried and tried to get up to go around the other side. She had blood matted in her hair and her stomach hurt from where the seat belt dug into her.

Jesse stopped her. "Aubrey, you're hurt, don't try to stand." He said.

"We have to get her out, and Chloe. She wasn't wearing a seat belt," she said, her voice becoming more panicked with every word as she began to cry. "And Beca, Jesse we have to-"

"They're gone." He said and Aubrey stopped.

"What?" She asked.

"They aren't back there. I think they must have been thrown from the truck like I was."

"You were thrown?" She asked and he nodded.

"I wasn't wearing my belt, I went through the window." He said motioning to the cuts on his face and neck. It was a miracle he was still alive.

Aubrey's tears poured from her eyes. "W-we have to find them, we have to get Stacie out." She gasped.

Jesse nodded painfully. "I'll get her." He said. "Your head is bleeding pretty bad." He said pulling his shirt off and holding it to the bloody spot on her head. "Hold that tight." He said.

She did as she was told as Jesse made his way around the other side.

Aubrey could hear his grunts of pain and he tried to release Stacie from the truck. They had to find Chloe and Beca. She scanned the area, trying to see them, but she couldn't. Her vision was blurry and it was getting dark. She wondered how long they had been unconscious.

A few minutes later, Jesse moved around the truck, pulling Stacie with him. Aubrey sat up, trying to get a better look as he gently laid her on the cement.

She was covered in small cuts and bruises and Aubrey pressed her fingers to her neck.

"Stacie, can you hear me?" She cried softly.

"Aubrey, I thinks she's-"

"She has a pulse!" Aubrey gasped. "She isn't dead," she cried. "She isn't dead."

Jesse winced in pain as he dropped down beside Stacie. "I think- I think my ribs are broken."

Aubrey looked at him. "What happened, Jesse? Why did we crash."

He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I don't know, I heard a loud bang and I lost control of the truck." He said. "Are you okay with her? I have to find Beca and Chloe."

Aubrey nodded. "Yes, go." She said, and Jesse stood painfully. She watched him limp away, and let out a breath, leaning against the side of the totaled truck. Her hand on Stacies arm.

"Come on, Stacie, wake up." She said weakly as all the pain started to become apparent in her body. "Wake up."

A/N: I guess it's time to get into the craziness of the story! PLEASE REVIEW!


	19. Belong

"What do you mean you can't find them?!"

Aubrey painfully began to push herself off of the ground. Jesse tried to stop her but she shoved his hands away from her.

"Aubrey you need to stay down-"

"I need to find Chloe." She said as she took a few steps away from the truck. She grimaced as she felt pain shoot through multiple parts of her body. "Stay with Stacie."

"Aubrey," he said, and she felt a hand on her back. "Please sit down,"

She shook her head, "No." she said and Jesse could hear the way her voice thickened slightly as she began to cry. "She is my best friend, and Beca is yours. We have to-" she was cut off by her own sob and she doubled over slightly, holding her hand to her stomach. "We have to find them."

Jesse wrapped his arm around her waist and held on. "Aubrey, please, sit down." He said and didn't wait for an answer as he began to drop to the ground, pulling her with him.

She instantly fell against him, not having the strength to fight him and sobs racked through her body. "What if they-"

"No." He cut her off. "Don't even say it."

"Where are they Jesse?" She asked through tears. "You should have found them, where are they?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, Aubrey. But they can't be... they are out there somewhere. I know it."

"I need her, Jesse. She is all I have."

Jesse frowned as Aubrey began to cry harder. He was doing his best to hold it together, but he knew how she was feeling. He was terrified, not knowing where Beca was. He worried for Chloe too, and he knew Aubrey worried for Beca, but he understood why she was freaking out. He was staying strong for her, though on the inside, he was a mess. Where were they?

"You-you have me, Aubrey. You have me and you have Stacie. And we will...I will find them. I will find Chloe. I promise."

XXXXXX

"Wakey, wakey," three light slap fell against an already bruised cheek and two blood shot blackened eyes struggled to open.

A figure stood above her, and she could see light all around it. Whoever it was, they were standing in front of an open door. Only feet away.

"Aha. She wakes," came an amused voice.

Her head ached, as did the majority of her body and she tried to speak, but found she couldn't. This sent a wave of panic through her, as her surrounding became clearer. Her mouth was taped shut. Her arms were tied behind her back, and her ankles were bound together. She lay on her side, on what she assumed was a bad of some sort. It wasn't soft, but it wasn't hard either.

She began to struggle when she realized she was bound and gagged. The person who stood over her, that she could see clearly laughed. She whimpered through the tape and tried to move away from them.

"You're afraid?" Came the voice again and she looked up at the shadowy figure with wide eyes.

"Good. You should be afraid."

She flinched when the person suddenly reached for her, grabbing her arm and yanking her up unto unsteady feet. Then dropped down to cut through the tape around her ankles. She felt the pain shoot up her legs into her back and she couldn't stand straight as the person gripped her arm tightly and shoved her through the door, never breaking his hold. She blinked against the harsh light and looked around as she was lead out of the room she had been held captive in, for who knows how long.

She didn't know where she was, how long she had been there or what their intentions were. She could faintly remember the accident. She could remember trying to free Beca from under the mattress. She was so scared, and Beca wasn't responding. She thought she felt the mattress move, giving her hope that Beca was okay.

she could remember hearing people hollering outside the truck, and she could remember the feeling of pure horror when she realized they were going to find her.

And find her, they did.

She was being forced away from the wrecked truck when they pulled Beca's unconscious body out of the truck by her ankles. She had screamed for them to stop, to leave her alone. She tried to fight them, but she was much smaller than the men that held her. They easily, and happily overpowered her. The last thing she remembered, was being whipped around roughly and punched so hard she fell to the ground. Everything was fuzzy after that, and then it all went dark.

She glared at what she saw. People. People all sitting around, in some kind of room, all staring at her as she was forced to pass them. Mostly men, but a few women. And they all looked at her, as if they were starving, and she was something to eat. She felt the fear pool in her belly. What did these people want with her? Where was Beca? Did they have Aubrey and the others?

She couldn't ask these questions, with her mouth taped, and she had a feeling they wouldn't give her straight answers anyway.

She was finally passed all the people, and being lead through a doorway, into a hall. This hall, had doors on each side, all the way down. As she was lead through it, she realized, she was in an old school. She could see into some of the rooms, at all the desks, the white boards. She also couldn't help but see all the blood that stained the floors, and walls. She didn't know where she was being lead, but she had a feeling she wasn't going to like it.

XXXXXX

"Stacie?" Aubrey spoke softly, holding onto the other girls hand.

They had done their best to clean her up, and make sure she didn't have any major external injuries. As for internal, they had no way to tell.

It had been almost a full day. They waited for the sun to come up, before they rummaged through the back of the truck. Jesse pulled the mattress out and into the woods. From there, he moved Stacie onto it, and off of the road. It wasn't safe to be out there.

It was beginning to get dark again and Aubrey was worried that Stacie wasn't going to wake up. Jesse had gone off a little while before, in search of food, and to once again look for Chloe and Beca.

"Stacie, please wake up." She said gently. "Please?"

Tears were once again filling her eyes. "Stacie, I need you." She cried and leaned down to rest her forehead on their joined hands.

She stayed that way until she heard the leaves rustling and she jumped up her gun already pulled from its holster and aimed.

"Whoa, it's me." Jesse said, holding his hands up in defense.

She let out a breath and dropped the gun, putting it back in its holster and dropped down beside Stacie again.

"You didn't find them." She said flatly as she looked back at Stacie.

He shook his head. "No, I didn't. And I don't think I'm going to. Not around here."

She looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Aubrey, they aren't out there. I must have walked a mile in all directions. They aren't out there."

Aubrey could feel herself beginning to lose hope. The tears flowed in steady streams out of her eyes.

"Maybe they were thrown from the truck, and started walking back to camp? Or back to the lake-"

"Or maybe they are dead," Aubrey cut him off.

He looked at her in shock. "Aubrey, we can't think like that-"

"How else do we think Jesse?! Thrown from the truck or not, do you really think they would have just walked away? We were all still inside, you don't think they would have checked the truck before leaving?" Her voice was becoming louder.

"You said it yourself, they aren't out there. And you know why?"

He shook his head looking down. He didn't want to hear this. Though part of him knew Aubrey was probably right.

"Because they are dead, Jesse. And they are something else now. They are out there somewhere, but they aren't Chloe and Beca anymore." She said.

He could feel the anger rising inside of him and he was just about to tell her off when her head whipped around to look at Stacie.

"Bree?" Came a weak voice, "What happened?"

Stacie looked at Aubrey, then let her eyes drift to Jesse.

"Did we survive?" She asked and Aubrey clutched her hand tightly.

"Yes, we did. Thank god you are awake, it's been almost 24 hours."

Stacie could see the tears on Aubrey's cheeks, and she looked to see Jesse rubbing the back of his neck as he turned away from them.

"Where is Chloe and Beca?" She asked and felt Aubrey's hand tense.

"We don't know, I don't think they made it." She said looking down and Stacie felt her stomach twist.

XXXXXX

Chloe had been shoved into a chair in a room that had mostly been cleaned up. That was nearly an hour before and she looked around, anxiously waiting. The man that lead her there, was still with her. Standing by the door. He didn't speak, not since he took her from the room. He just stared at her. She face the door, so when it opened, she would immediately see who it was.

She was restless and she wanted to get up and try to run, but she knew she wouldn't get very far.

She huffed slightly and looked at the man. He smirked slightly, and she glared. This seemed to catch his interest and he pushed off of the wall he was leaning against.

She sat back against the chair as far as she could as he got closer to her.

"Do you have something to say?" He asked reaching up as if he was going to take the tape off and she felt her breath catch.

"I asked you a question." He said leaning over her and she looked down, his close proximity making her uncomfortable.

"You have a mean glare." he said. "You must have something to say with a glare like that." She refused to look at him, after a moment of silence she felt his hand fits in her hair and yank her head back to look at him.

This time, her eyes were wide with fear, instead of narrowed in anger.

She whimpered and tried to look away but he wouldn't let her.

He smiled at her, letting her hair go and running his hand down to her neck where he wrapped his hand tightly around it. "I could kill you, you know?" He asked and she felt tears brimming in her eyes.

He leaned in, so his lips brushed her ear "But what fun would that be?" He asked and she tried to move away from him, only for his grip to tighten around her neck.

"And just what the fuck do you think you are doing?"

Chloe's head snapped around as the man shot up and turned his back to her at the sound of this new voice.

"Nothing, I was just-" he was cut off by a loud bang and Chloe gasped, her eyes closing as something warm hit her. She opened her eyes, her breathing coming out in sharp huffs as she watched the man fall to the floor. Blood covered her face and shirt and she wanted to scream as the person in the doorway walked toward her, putting their gun away.

"Sorry about him. He has..." they stopped and chuckled. "Had, no manners."

Chloe looked at the person with confused, scared eyes.

It was a woman. With clean blonde hair, tied back in a tight bun.

She walked around her, and she felt her cut through the tape that bound her hands. As soon as they fell to her sides, she reached up, ripping the tape off and shot out of the chair, toward the door. She thought she might make it but felt something slam into her, trapping her against the wall.

"Now, Is this how you thank the person that just saved your life?" Came an unamused voice as she was pulled away from the wall and turned to face her.

"Where am I?" She growled. "Where are my friends?"

The woman smirked. "Friends?" She asked stepping back from Chloe and she watched her with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, my friends."

The woman looked at her for a moment. "Well, you were brought here, with just one other person."

"Beca. Where is she?" She demanded stepping towards the woman. "If you hurt her I swear-"

She didn't even see the woman raise her hand, but it came down hard on her cheek and she stumbled back, away from her.

"You'll what?" She asked and Chloe stayed silent. "You won't do anything. Because you can't. You are mine now. You belong to me. You and your little friend. And you can't do anything about it."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked.

"You'll find out. Soon enough." She said. Chloe glared again as the woman walked up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she was lead back out the door.

"To see your friend." She smiled and Chloe felt a chill run through her at the sound of the woman's voice.

A/N: short I know. PLEASE REVIEW.


	20. Quiet as a mouse

Jesse groaned in pain as he dropped the heavy backpack off his shoulders onto the ground. Aubrey who had her arm around Stacies waist, and Stacies arm wrapped around her shoulders, lowered the girl to the ground so she could sit against a tree.

"Thank you." Stacie said gently and Aubrey nodded. She was in pain too, where the seat belt had dug in and bruised her stomach and chest. However, she was able to walk a bit better than Stacie was.

"Of course." She smiled lightly, though it didn't reach her eyes and felt out of place on her face. They had done their best to get as much of their supplies as possible out of the truck. It was stuffed into the backpack Jesse had carried. It wasn't much. A few bottles of water, the little bit of deer meat they had taken to the lake and a few articles of clothing. Jesse had remembered last minute to grab the matches for a fire.

From there, they headed back towards the lake on foot. They hadn't gotten very far, when the truck crashed, and it only took about an hour to walk back to it. They would have made it quicker, had they not been in so much pain.

Now, they were in the tree line, looking out over the lake they had been so relaxed, and carefree in the day before. Jesse cleared his threat as the girls looked at the water, sadness evident in their eyes.

"I'm gonna go start a fire." He said and rummaged through the bag looking for the matches and something to help start it. Aubrey watched him with a faraway look in her eyes, before he walked down to the beach.

"Aubrey."

She turned to see Stacie looking at her, and walked over to her, dropping down to sit with her.

"Yeah?" She asked as she got as comfortable as she could.

"I'm really sorry." She said, her eyes clouding with tears. Aubrey sat up a little straighter.

"Don't cry, why are you apologizing?" She asked as she used her thumbs to wipe away her tears as they fell.

"I'm sorry, about Beca, and Chloe."

Aubrey shook her head, though she felt her own eyes begin to burn with tears. She pushed them back, refusing to let anymore fall.

"It isn't your fault, Stacie. It was an accident, and they just... they must have-" she stopped, feeling her throat get tight and she looked away.

Stacie looked down, squeezing her eyes shut. "Aubrey, I..." she started, then stopped and the blonde looked at her.

"What?" She asked quickly swiping at her cheeks with her fingers, brushing away the tears that escaped.

Stacie didn't answer and Aubrey reached out, gripping her scraped chin between her fingers. "Stacie, what?" She asked again and two green eyes raised to meet hers.

Aubrey looked at her, trying to understand what she wasn't saying. "Tell me." She said.

"Aubrey, it might not have been a complete accident." She said and the blonde froze.

"What do you mean? Of course it was."

Stacie shook her head slightly and looked down, sniffling. "Chloe said, they heard gun shots that day she and Beca got out of that basement." She said.

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah...so?"

Stacie looked up at her, her eyes full of guilt. "So, I might not have been completely honest with you." She said and Aubrey felt her blood run cold.

XXXXXX

Chloe watched as the woman with the blonde hair spoke with one of the other men. This one, she didn't recognize.

After a few moments, she motioned for him to leave and he walked past Chloe, his expression angry. She looked down as he passed her, not wanting to meet his eyes.

The woman sighed. "Now, tell me, what is your name?"

"Why should I tell you that?" Chloe asked, looking up at her.

"Well," she said walking over to her. "Because I could make your time here, a living hell if I wanted too." Chloe watched her cautiously.

"I killed my own man in there, simply because I didn't give him permission to be as close to you as he was." She said getting right up close to her. "He was one of my best. And I killed him, without a second thought." She said reaching up and twirling one of Chloe's curls with her fingers.

"I asked you your name." She said. "Do you think it wise, to question me?"

Chloe took a breath, trying to ignore how close this unfamiliar woman was to her face.

"My name is Chloe."

The woman smiled, letting her hair fall and stood back. "Chloe." She said.

Chloe looked at her as she stepped away. "Tell me, Chloe, how many were in your group?"

Chloe looked down, she didn't know who these people were, or who they had other than her. She knew they had Beca. But as for the rest she had no idea.

"Chloe... I asked you a question."

The redhead looked up. "Your people are the ones that caused the accident. They are the ones that took us. Why don't you ask them how many of us there were? They had obviously been watching us."

The woman stopped, and looked at Chloe with a smirk. "You are a brave girl, Chloe." She said as she walked up to her again. Chloe took a step back, knowing she shouldn't have done that, but couldn't stop herself.

The woman reached out, fisting her hand in Chloe's hair and yanked her head back so she had no choice but to look into her eyes.

"Being brave isn't going to help you here Chloe." She said getting close to her face again. "Being obedient will." She growled as she leaned back and shoved Chloe away from her. She stumbled, but caught herself before she fell.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked. "Where is my friend?"

The woman smiled. "She is here. Right through there actually." She pointed to the door on the other side of the room.

Chloe looked at the door and took a step toward it but was stopped by a firm grip on her arm and she tried not to wince.

"I said she was in there. I didn't say you could go to her."

"You said I could see her, that's why you brought me here." Chloe said. "What the fuck do you want from us?!" She demanded.

The woman smiled again. "You have a dirty mouth." She said. Chloe glared at her, and tried to yank her arm free, but it didn't work.

"Let me see her."

"How are you so certain she is alive? How do you know, I haven't killed her already?"

Chloe felt her face pale. Apparently this was the reaction the woman was looking for and she smiled again.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked again through gritted teeth.

"To be perfectly honest, Chloe. Not you." She said and finally let her go.

Chloe looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean? Then why are we here?"

"You are here, because my men, messed up." She said, "They took the wrong people. Or person I should say."

Chloe narrowed her eyes. "Oh really?" She asked.

"Yes, really. You see, you were not the intended target. You were caught in the crossfire. As my men tell me, you were in the back of the truck they took out. With the woman we were looking for. When they approached the truck, they heard you and decided, for some unknown reason, to take you as well as the one we were truly after."

Chloe felt her stomach tie in knots. "What do you want with Beca? What has she done to you?"

Another smile.

"Again, another mess up. She was not who I sent my men for. You see, they aren't the brightest bunch. But they do my bidding. They saw her, a brunette. And assumed she was the right brunette."

Chloe looked at her, her eyes widening. Stacie.

"They took her, thinking she was the girl that I wanted. Well, she isn't. Much smaller actually. By at least a full foot, I don't know how they messed that up so badly. No, I was looking for the other one. The one with the crossbow." She said and Chloe could hear the venom in her voice.

"She is new to our group. She is a good person." Chloe said.

"That is where you are wrong. She is a murderer. A manipulator. And she needs to pay for what she did. They brought you and the other girl here by mistake. But now, we will use you, to get her."

"You're wrong. She isn't a murderer..."

"You don't know her very well, do you? You said she was new to your group."

"No, I do know her, she is a good person. She saved us, multiple times."

The woman looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Chloe, listen. I don't want to kill you. Or your little friend in there." She motioned to the door that Chloe was eager to go through.

"But she has to pay, for what she did."

"How are you so sure she hasn't already? The truck flipped, she was in the front," she said. She hated saying this. She hated even thinking this way. Aubrey was up front too. If Stacie didn't make it, it was possible that Aubrey didn't either. The thought made her sick.

"Chloe, I sent my men back and the truck was empty. She is still alive. For now."

Relief flooded her system and the woman saw this. "The problem is, you say she is part of your group now. So I assume you aren't going to just let us take her."

Chloe straightened up slightly. She knew this was dangerous, and she needed to be careful, but she didn't want to show weakness. The woman wanted her to obey, but she was done living that way.

"You would be right in that assumption. You won't touch her." She said and the woman instantly advanced on her. She barely had time to react before she felt the sting of a slap across her already bruised cheek. She didn't have time to think about it however as the woman grabbed her and slammed her into the door that Beca was behind.

She cried out as she hit the floor and the woman kicked her hard in the stomach.

"And now?" The woman asked, breathlessly.

"Fuck you." Chloe spat.

The woman smiled and reached down, grabbing her hair and pulling her to her feet.

XXXXXX

Aubrey glared and Jesse was looking in disbelief as Stacie spoke to them.

"I wasn't always alone. But it wasn't by choice. This group of people, huge group, women, men, even children. They found me, and took me. I didn't want to go, I wanted nothing to do with any group. It was too messy. But they didn't take me to make apart of them. They took me, for reasons I still don't understand. Their leader, was cruel. Ruthless. And they did anything and everything she said."

"She?" Jesse asked.

Stacie nodded. "Yeah. Kommissar. That's what they called her."

Aubrey looked towards the lake. This was unbelievable.

"They kept me prisoner. Treated me like garbage. Starved me, beat me, used me." She said looking down. "I escaped though. And I killed three of her men along the way."

Aubrey looked at her. "Then, you found us."

Stacie looked up at her and nodded. "I escaped a few months ago. But yes. I found you. And you were so kind, much kinder than I had experienced before out there. You took me in, and fed me. Gave me a warm place to sleep and made me feel safe. Wanted." She looked down.

"I didn't think they would still be looking for me. I dodged them for the first month. Then, I didn't see them anymore, they seemed to have given up looking for me. Then, Chloe said there were people nearby that day, and I just knew. I felt it in my gut. It was them. Then, the accident..."

"They did this," Jesse growled.

"I saw them. Right before it happened, I saw them, ahead of us, on the side of the road. They shot out the tires."

Jesses eyes grew and he rushed toward her. She flinched and lifted her arm to protect her face as he grabbed her arms and pulled her off of the ground.

"Jesse!" Aubrey yelled jumping up as he slammed her against the tree she was sitting against.

"They took them! Didn't they?!" He screamed in her face and she tried to look away from him.

"Jesse let her go, are you crazy?" Aubrey said trying to pull his hand away from her.

"She knew!" He yelled. "She knew and she didn't say anything! She lied to us Aubrey!"

Aubrey had had enough of this already and grabbed Jesse yanking him away from Stacie. He stumbled slightly and looked at her in shock. "I said to let her go." She growled.

"Yeah, she fucked up. But that doesn't give you a right to manhandle her like that, damn Jesse."

He glared at them both, as she turned to Stacie who had tears streaming down her cheeks. Both from fear and pain as her body throbbed from being handled so roughly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know they would find me. I didn't know they were even still looking. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"You think they took them?" Aubrey asked gently pulling her away from the tree.

"I don't know it's possible." She said. "I don't know why they would take them, and not me, though."

Aubrey shook her head. "We have to get them back. What would they want with them?"

Stacie shook her head, "I don't know. They are crazy, all of them. They aren't safe."

Aubrey felt a rush of anger go through her. How dare these people take their friends? She pursed her lips and turned to Jesse.

"We are going to find them." She said. "You promised to find Chloe. You promised to find them, and you are going to keep that promise." She said. "I know you are angry, and scared for Beca. But you are going to keep that temper in check. Do not touch her again." She warned, lifting a finger to point at him.

He glared at the girl in question but nodded, "I won't. And we will find them. If I have to kill every last one of the sorry bastards that took them."

Aubrey turned to Stacie. "Can you help us?"

She nodded. "I think so."

XXXXXX

Beca couldn't hear much in the room she had bee locked in. She couldn't see anything, as it had no windows and the only way in was the one door. She had been in there since they brought them there. She had pounded angry fists against the door until her hands bruised but no one paid any mind to her.

She had sat down her back against the door, eyes closed when she heard voices in the room outside her door. It was made of something heavy and did a good job of muffling any sound, but she could make out two different people. She pressed her ear against the door and listened carefully. Her eyes wide as she realized one of the voices, was Chloe.

There was a lot of back and forth, before the voices started getting louder. She could hear the anger in Chloe's voice, and they were coming through the door a bit clearer. She stood up on shaky legs and listened. They seemed to be arguing, she heard her name a couple of times.

Then, she heard the sound of skin meeting skin and she knew whoever it was that was arguing with Chloe had hit her. She felt her blood boil, but before she could do anything else, something slammed against the door hard and she jumped voices were right outside it now and she could hear them clearly.

She heard Chloe's pained voice growl "Fuck you." Before the room echoed with her pained cries and the sounds of multiple hits and kicks. Beca rushed to the door and began slamming her fists into it again. She was angry, and she could still hear the sickening sounds of the woman mercilessly beating Chloe. The sounds of Chloe's screams, and soon enough, tearful pleas for her to stop. She stopped banging on the door and began to slam her body into it. Trying to either get it open, or distract the woman so she would leave Chloe alone.

It seemed to work, as the room fell quiet. She couldn't hear anything and she quickly pressed her ear against the door. A few seconds later she heard a click and it was pulled open. She fell forward not ready for the support of the door to disappear.

She stumbled forward and the woman caught her. "Ah, here she is." She said grabbing Beca and quickly pulling her arms behind her back so she couldn't swing at her.

Beca winced in pain and her eyes fell on the bloody heap that was Chloe a few feet away.

Chloe looked up at her, barely conscious. She struggled against the woman that held her, but was significantly smaller and much weaker and didn't get very far.

"She is a quiet thing." The woman said and Chloe tried to get up, but couldn't. "Aside from her little tantrum in there just now, and when we first locked her in there, she hasn't made a peep. Almost like a little mouse. As small as one, too."

"Don't touch her." Chloe gasped, though her words were broken as she spit blood from her mouth.

"Oh no?" The woman said, "Why not? Do you have a soft spot for her? Is she more than a friend?" She asked with a sinister smile. Chloe was finally able to make it up to her knees and she looked at Beca, or, looked her over. She had a few new scrapes and bruises that could have been from the crash, or these people.

When Chloe didn't answer, the woman smiled wider. "I see." She said.

"Theo!" She called and a moment later the man from before walked in.

"I think I know how to get Chloe to tell me what I need to know," she said, "Take this one to room 17." She smiled at Chloe and the man walked over and took Beca's arm.

"Don't!" Chloe growled standing up fully.

Beca tried to free herself, but it was to no avail. The man just grabbed her arms tightly and twisted them behind her back.

Chloe tired to stop him, but the woman grabbed her, kicked her in the back of the leg and watched as she fell to the ground.

"Beca!" She yelled as the man disappeared out the door with her.

"What are you doing, where is he taking her?!"

"Until you agree to turn over that murderous bitch, your little girlfriend, is going to spend some time in room 17."

"What's in there?" Chloe demanded.

"Not what, Chloe." She said reaching down and grabbing her arm, lifting her to her feet.

"Who." She smiled as she lead Chloe back out of the room and into the hallway. Theo and Beca were already gone.

A/N:

Okay so, I didn't initially want it to be the kommissar, but I couldn't for the life of me think of an OC name, so I said fuck it, I can play off of that character. So yes, it's the kommissar. No she isn't German. Cause I spaced that she was. I'm tired y'all. And been sick all week. ALSO...big chapter coming... if you know what that means :) PLEASE REVIEW


	21. Speak No Evil

A/N: TRIGGER WARNING okay, because of how crazy this chapter is... I'm writing this to tell you guys, there is a trigger warning for this chapter. There are time jumps, just look for the trigger warning, it will be posted before it happens. Also, these people are literally fucking crazy. I just said screw, it they have no souls. They are just evil. Keep that in mind when you read. Thank you for reading!

"Are you sure you know where you are going?"

Stacie stopped, letting out an exasperated sigh and turned to face Jesse. He had been extremely persistent in trying to piss her off since the moment they left in search of Beca and Chloe. She was trying not to let him get under her skin, she knew he was angry, and rightfully so.

But, she was also doing her best to help him, to find their friends. It had never been her intention for them to be taken. She never thought those people would find them. She thought she had lost them. She hoped they had lost interest in searching for her.

Aubrey leaned against a tree, her eyes closing tightly, pushing away her pain, though giving herself a moment to relax.

"I have told you, multiple times Jesse." Stacie said. "I know where I am going. I know how to get there, I know the way in." She said.

He glared at her. "Excuse me for not trusting your word." He said shoving passed her and she shook her head looking after him. Reminding herself that he was just angry, and worried about Beca. She looked up as Aubrey moved away from the tree she was leaning against.

The blonde hadn't really spoken to her much. She didn't seem angry with her, but she was certainly not as open and unguarded around her. She did however, jump all over Jesse when his anger got the best of him. Stacie tried not to let the fact that Aubrey defended her, make her forget that she had lied to them. She had lied to Aubrey. In a way, at least. She knew she should have told them about the group she had escaped from. The group who had no morals. Who had a leader that made her own rules, her own laws and for some reason they all followed them.

She knew that Beca and Chloe were most definitely not okay. She knew for a fact they were hurt, scared, and probably being used for god knows what in that place.

She followed after them, heading in the direction of the huge, abandoned school that she had hoped to never return too. The one they had claimed as their home.

A home to them, a prison to her. And now, to Beca and Chloe.

XXXXXX

Chloe sat, her back against a cold concrete wall. Her legs drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them.

It had been a long, sleepless night. The woman, who she learned was called The Kommissar, had taken her to this room the day before. After her beating, after seeing Beca pulled from the room and taken to room 17. Whatever the hell that was. She knew Beca was in trouble. She knew it was partially her fault. She angered the woman who held them captive.

Her body ached. Her ribs were bruised, her head throbbed and she did the best she could, cleaning the blood from her face with the shirt she wore. She was cold, and hungry, and wanted to see Beca. But she had been left alone. She had been pushed into the room, and the door slammed behind her. It was locked tight, and she was sure someone was standing guard outside it.

She was too weak, too tired to try and scream her way out. She needed rest, she needed food and water. She needed Aubrey. She had no idea if her best friend was okay. If any of them were. She knew that she was in serious danger. She knew that she could very well die in this place. She knew Beca could. She knew there was a possibility that she already was.

She had been awake all night and well into the next morning. When she finally began to doze off, she carefully lie down on the hard concrete floor, curling into a tight ball, trying to keep warm.

She felt her chest begin to ache and a harsh cough escaped her as she drifted off into a restless sleep.

XXXXXX

"What do you want me to do, Kommissar?"

The blonde woman sighed and turned from the window she was looking through. "I want you, to make her talk."

"She hasn't said a word, since we brought her here. I don't think she can talk." Theo said. "I think she might be a mute."

She turned to face him. Her face stoic, almost bored.

"Make her talk." She said.

He nodded. "And the other one?"

"Has she made a sound yet?"

He shook his head. "She is just as quiet as the other." He said.

"Check on her. Make sure she is still alive. We need her to get Stacie back here." She said and waved her hand to dismiss him.

"Uh, how should I make her talk?" He asked cautiously.

She looked at him, clearly not pleased that he stuck around to ask more questions after she dismissed him.

"Use your imagination. I don't care what you do, as long as she still has a pulse at the end of it. Just make her talk."

He nodded and turned around to leave. "One other thing. If Chloe decides she still doesn't want to give up Stacie," she said. "Make her watch,"

He nodded again, a malicious smile on his face as he walked out.

XXXXXX

"Listen, I'm sorry I am being so distant. I'm just worried, you know?"

Aubrey had fallen in step with Stacie and glanced over at the girl, an apologetic look on her face. Stacie readjusted her crossbow and nodded.

"I understand. I'd be distant too. I messed up, not telling you guys the truth. I swear, I didn't think they would ever be a problem again. I thought they had given up, and I guess I misjudged how far I had gotten from them. I mean, they aren't that close, by any means. But I don't know, I guess I should have just left that day. At your camp. I should have never stayed, I put you guys in danger, and now look."

It all poured out like word vomit and she couldn't stop it. She felt awful, and as if she no longer belonged with them. She liked this group, and she had for a moment, felt like she belonged. That feeling however, had vanished quickly.

"Stacie, what did they do to you?" Aubrey asked softly. "Why wouldn't they let you leave?"

"I don't know. These people, aren't like anyone else I have ever met. Before and after the world ended. I don't know, it's like, they don't have a decent bone in their bodies. They have no feelings, no remorse. I don't know what they were like before. But, their leader, the one I told you about. It was as if she was training them, she encouraged the violence. She encouraged them to do horrible things. She kept me with her, most of the time. She told me, that I belonged to her."

Aubrey felt her body erupt in goosebumps. "She was insane. She would almost be kind to me, but in the most unusual ways. She would threaten me, with her people. She would tell me that she would let them hurt me, sometimes going into detail, of what they might do, if I didn't do as she asked. And when she did, let them..." she trailed off. And Aubrey looked at her, her face growing hot.

"She would stop them." She said. "She would say that she had protected me. And sometimes, she would even injure her own people, 'protecting me'." She said using air quotes. Aubrey looked ahead of them, where Jesse was walking. She hoped he was listening to this.

"She was crazy, and I began to depend on her. She decided if I ate. She decided if I got water, or if I slept. Where I slept. If I angered her, she punished me. It was as if I was a pet to her." She said. "Then, after what seems like a life time, when food was running low, and they began to hunt for food, I told her, that I could hunt too. That I was actually very good at it and I could help them."

Aubrey looked at her, at the way she seemed to hold the crossbow a little tighter. "And that's how you escaped?"

Stacie chuckled bitterly. "Thats how I regained a little of my dignity. I had been treated like an animal for so long, I felt like I was actually needed. I hunted for them, under the kommissars watchful eye. Some of them, stopped trying to intimidate me. Some of them, even started to treat me as an equal. I brought in food. Massive amounts of food."

"Did she treat you differently after that?" Aubrey asked.

"She was put off by it. I don't think she knew how to take it. But, she allowed me to eat the same amount as she did. She allowed me to sleep in the bed with her, and she wasn't as...crazy, as she had been. It was like the fact that I could actually be worth something to their group, surprised her. And for a while, things weren't as bad."

Aubrey looked up when she noticed Jesse turn his head over his shoulder slightly, and she knew he was listening.

"She was loosening her grip on me, so to speak. That's when I decided to start planning my escape."

XXXXXX

"Speak."

Beca looked up at the man that stood over her. She recognized him as the same man that had put her in the room the day before. She only kept eye contact for a moment, before looking away.

"I said to speak." He said and she winced as his hand whipped across her face.

She looked up at him, her eyes hard and angry as blood poured from her nose, and tears burned her eyes. "What's the matter?" He asked bending at the waist to look at her, eye level.

"Cat got your tongue?"

She didn't answer. Instead lifted her hand to her face, and wiped away the blood.

"There will be a lot more than that, if you don't start talking." He said. "So save us both the time and energy. Speak. Tell us where your camp is."

She raised an eye brow. And he mimicked her. "You have a camp, I know you do. And you have other people. Probably dead, but you had them. We are looking for one in particular. The one we mistook you for. Stacie." He said and she kept his gaze, not wanting to give away that she knew anything.

"You know her. Tall, brown hair, carries a crossbow. And I'd bet you know she is a damn good shot."

Beca remained silent. "You can speak, can't you? English?" He asked and she looked away from him.

"Do you speak English?" He asked louder and she once again ignored him. She knew this was only going to lead to him hitting her again. But she didn't care.

She was right, when a few second later, she felt his fist connect with her face and she fell backwards, hitting the ground hard. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the pain, when she felt his hand around her arm, yanking her to her feet again.

"Your name is a Beca, right? Well, Beca, you have one more chance. Say something, tell me where your camp is. The sooner we know, the sooner you and the redhead can leave." He said.

She looked up at him. She knew, if they were even still alive, that they wouldn't have gone back to the camp. She knew Jesse. They had been attacked, it was obvious. He would have gone in a different direction, in case whoever attacked them went looking.

She instead, gathered the good amount of blood pooling in her mouth and spat it at him. He grimaced and threw her back to the ground as he wiped it from his face. She looked up at him, not letting her fear show.

"Have it your way, then."

XXXXXX

Chloe's eyes opened at the sound of footsteps outside the door. She winced, sitting up and scooting backwards, away from the door. When it opened, she blinked against the light and held a hand up to shield her eyes.

"Good morning, Chloe."

She lowered her hand, as Kommissar walked into the room. "You slept a long time. I hope you feel rested." She said and knelt down next to her.

"Where is Beca?" She asked, her voice low and scratchy.

"Oh, she is still in room 17. She caused a bit of trouble yesterday."

Chloe's eyes grew and she looked from Kommissar to the door that she had left open behind her.

"I wouldn't try it, Chloe, you will only make this worse for yourself. And her."

Kommissar said, her voice sounding bored.

"What did you do to her?" Chloe demanded. "Let her out."

A laugh echoed in the room and Chloe winced as the sound made her headache throb. "Oh, Chloe. You know I can't do that. No, she will stay in there, until one of you decides to talk." She said.

"That isn't going to happen." Chloe growled.

"No?"

"Beca doesn't talk, and I'm not telling you shit." She hissed and Kommissars face took on a curious look.

"What do you mean, she doesn't talk?"

Chloe closed her mouth. Fearing what she might have just done. Whatever idea this horrid woman might come up with.

"I asked you a question, Chloe."

Kommissar sighed, when Chloe still refused to answer her. "What's it been Chloe? Like...three days?" She asked. "Three days, since you have eaten. Since you have had anything to drink?"

Chloe hadn't even realized how long it had been since they were taken. She had spent the majority of the time unconscious and it just now dawned on her, how hungry she was. How thirsty.

"It's been the same amount of time for Beca. She is hungry. Very hungry." She said. "I'm sure you are too. I'll feed you, Chloe, both of you. All you have to do is start cooperating."

Chloe glared at her. "Why is it so important to find her? She escaped, big deal. Why do you need her so badly?"

"She killed my people." Kommissar said, "She needs to pay for that."

"You kill. She is probably already dead. And what are you going to do to her if you find her anyway?"

"She is my property. And I want what belongs to me."

"She isn't anyone's property. Neither am I, or Beca. We are people, not property."

"Wrong. You are mine. I own you. I am keeping you alive, I am in charge of making sure you stay that way. If it weren't for me, my men would have already killed you by now. Well... maybe not yet. A few of my men have shown great interest in you. You and Beca both and they wonder why I haven't turned you over to them yet."

Chloe felt her stomach twist in fear. She couldn't be serious. She looked at her in shock. Surely this woman couldn't honestly consider handing another woman over to a man with less than honorable intentions.

"You wouldn't..."

"Oh I would." Kommissar said. "Stacie didn't think I would either. She never questioned me again after."

Chloe felt her fear mix with pure hatred for this woman. If she could be called that.

"You are a monster." She growled.

Kommissar smiled and reached out, her hand brushing down Chloe's cheek to cup her chin.

"You have no idea."

XXXXXX

"It's been five days. Five days Stacie. Where the fuck is this so called school?!" Jesse yelled slamming his bag to the ground.

Aubrey rolled her eyes, having heard Jesses outbursts multiples times everyday.

"We are close. A couple days out maybe." Stacie had kept her cool with every angry word that was thrown at her. She felt her temper wearing thin though, and hoped they could make it the rest of the way without losing it completely. She knew that she could take him, if she needed too. She just didn't want too.

"Yeah, a couple more days, and they could be dead. If they aren't already. If they are even there at all."

Aubrey had set her own bag down and was digging through it, looking for water when she heard a branch snap.

"Jesse, I am trying. It's not like I can make us walk any faster," Stacie said. "We are all injured, and it's amazing that we have even made it this far."

"Guys." Aubrey said standing up slowly, looking around.

"Yeah, and we are injured because these ass hole people that crashed Beca's truck. Which she is going to be pissed about that truck was her baby-"

"A truck is the least of our worries!" Stacie shouted and Aubrey huffed.

"Guys!" She yelled and they both turned to her.

"What?!" They said in unison and she held a finger to her lips.

Jesse instantly raised his gun and Stacie readied her crossbow.

They could hear what sounded like leaves rustling, in all directions. They looked but couldn't see anything. The woods were thick, and it was getting darker out, the trees casting shadows in all directions. They could hear branches breaking and they moved closer together, their backs together as they looked around them. But they saw nothing. Whatever it was, it was staying hidden. It sounded like more than one. They were surrounded.

XXXXXX. TRIGGER WARNING (More violence, short description of sexual assault. Skip if this is triggering to you. Message me if you are confused, and I will give you a run down.)

"Six days, Chloe."

Chloe looked up weakly from her place on the floor. She had been moved the day before. From the room she was in, to the Kommissars room. It had a bed, a large bed that looked so inviting. She however, was made to sleep on the floor beside it. She had been given a handful of stale crackers the day before. The first thing she had eaten since they day they were taken. And a cup of water. One cup exactly. She ate and drank quickly, wishing they would give her more.

Her stomach turned however when Kommissar and the man, Theo began to laugh as she finished.

She looked at them in confusion. "You ate so quickly, we didn't get a chance to tell you, half of that was for Beca." Kommissar said with an evil grin on her face. She felt the tears gather in her eyes as she looked at the empty cup, and crumbs from the crackers. She knew they never had any intention of telling her this.

"You haven't fed her?" She asked.

The Kommissar looked at her. "Why would I do that?" She asked. "Neither of you have told me what I want to hear."

"You fed me."

"Because I knew the moment you found out that part of it was for Beca, you would get that look on your face. That guilty expression. Knowing if you hadn't been so selfish, she would get to eat too. But now, she doesn't. And trust me, Chloe, she needs it. She can barely function. She is so thirsty."

"Evil bitch." Chloe rasped and Kommissar smiled.

"Yes I am." She said. "Also, a very observant bitch. You care for her a lot."

Chloe glared at her. "You know, she has been going through hell. No food, no water. No sleep." She listed.

Chloe felt her anger growing. They weren't letting her sleep.

"Sleep deprivation, can make a person go crazy." She said softly. "So far, she seems to be doing okay. But another week. Or two. The dehydration, the lack of sleep. I don't know if she can take it Chloe."

"Just leave her alone." Chloe said.

"I would. But, you won't help me. You are doing this to her, Chloe. You are protecting a girl you barely know, fully aware that every time you deny me what I want, it only hurts Beca more."

"I want to see her."

"I don't think so,"

"Let me see her. Let me talk to her and-"

"She doesn't talk, Chloe."

"I can talk to her!" Chloe yelled angrily.

The Kommissar quirked an eyebrow. "I want to see her."

"Tell me where to find Stacie."

Chloe clenched her jaw.

"Your choice." She said. "Theo, you've had your eye on Beca." She said and Chloe's eyes widened.

He smiled and nodded once. "She's yours." Kommissar said, not taking her eyes off of Chloe.

"No!" She screamed getting to her feet as Theo turned and left the room. "No you sick freak!" She rushed after him, only to be grabbed by Kommissar. "Let go of me! Don't touch her, I swear I'll kill you!" She screamed, using all her energy to try and free herself, struggling hard against the woman.

"Tell me, Chloe. Tell me where Stacie would go, and I'll call him off."

Chloe let out a sob as she felt the last week hit her hard, and she weakened further in Kommissars grip.

"How about, you see exactly what you are doing." She said and holding Chloe tightly, she moved from the room. Chloe cried and tried to fight herself free again but it was no use.

They moved into the next hallway and Chloe could see Theo walk into a room. "No, BECA!" She screamed as they got closer.

"Scream your little heart out, Chloe, you are the only one that could possibly help her."

They entered the room and Chloe's blood ran cold. Beca was laying on the floor, barely conscious. Her face battered, her arms bruised, her clothes covered in dried blood.

"Beca, no, get up!" She yelled and Beca's eyes opened. She looked to see Chloe a few feet away, but immediately turned her attention to the man standing above her.

Chloe watched as he leaned down and grabbed her arms, pulling her to her feet.

"What've you done to her?" She cried.

"What we do in room 17. This is our designated room, we use for, interrogation I guess you could call it. Only, she won't talk. Can't, as you have told us."

"Please, please just let her go?" Chloe begged, not taking her eyes of the girl a few feet away. She looked so defeated, but gave a subtle shake of her head, telling Chloe not to fight.

"Last time." Kommissar said.

"Dammit! Honestly how would I know?! How would I know where they are?! You took us! I don't even know where we are!"

"You will lead us to your camp!" Kommissar said. "Lead us to Stacie,"

Beca shook her head again, this time they all saw and Theo gave her a rough shake.

"Fine. Theo, she is yours." Kommissar said and stood back, taking Chloe with her as Theo shoved Beca roughly against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Chloe rushed out.

Kommissar smiled, as she watched.

Chloe felt her heart sink as his hand trailed down Beca's chest to the bottom of her shirt and slipped under it.

"No! Stop it!" She screamed, "Get away from her!"

Beca lifted her hand quickly and punched Theo, with more strength than they would have thought she would have. He stumbled slightly and Beca tried to run, Chloe trying again to get out of Kommissars grasp, to no avail.

Theo grabbed her by the throat and slammed her back against the wall, before pulling her down to the floor.

Chloe screamed again, as he hit her hard, and she fell still in a daze.

"Stop! Please, please stop!" Chloe screamed as he reached down and yanked the button on her pants open. Kneeling over her, undoing is own pants.

"Are you insane! You can't let him do this! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Theo, show her how insane we are." Kommissar smiled and he looked up at her for a moment, before he balled his fists and began mercilessly beating the small body below him.

"He could beat her to death. Right now." Hot breath brushed her ear as she screamed and cried, begging him to stop hurting her.

"Why won't you just tell us, Chloe?"

She asked herself that. Why didn't she just tell? Why didn't she just give Stacie up? Lead them to their camp. Help them hunt her. Stop Beca's pain. She felt the rage inside building with every punch Beca took. She couldn't, because she knew either way, these people took great pleasure in hurting others. And she would be turning Stacie, and probably Aubrey over to them, to do as they pleased. She fought with the emotions inside her. She could stop this. All she had to do was agree to give them Stacies life. She just couldn't bring herself to do it.

They hurt Beca physically. But, her? They were using psychological torture. Give up Stacie to receive the treatment Beca was getting. Most likely Aubrey and Jesse too. Or let Beca continue to endure this. Making her watch, to see what she was causing. What her choice was doing.

XXXXXX

Aubrey saw something move to her right and instantly turned and pulled the trigger. A few yards away, a creature fell dead to the ground. The shot echoed around them and Jesse and Stacie flipped around to see what it was. At that moment, whatever had been surrounding them, seemed to take off in all directions, as they couldn't keep track of it.

"Those weren't creatures." Stacie breathed. "We are close."

Jesse grabbed his bag. "Good. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can kill everyone of those sorry bastards."

XXXXXX

The sound of Beca's shirt being torn snapped Chloe out of the internal battle she was having with herself and she wanted to throw up as the man pinned Beca's hands above her head with one of his hands and leaned down, his lips grazing her neck. She was bruised and broken, but still tried to get away from him. Her legs kicking as much as they could as he pinned her beneath him, her back arching trying to free herself, but it only pushed her into him.

Chloe's eyes clouded with tears, she had to stop this. She couldn't allow this to go on, she refused to be responsible for this happening to Beca. She refused to allow this monster to hurt her anymore.

Beca's eyes locked with hers, full of pure fear and resignation. A look Chloe had never seen in her eyes, a look that was painful to see. It almost looked as if Beca was giving up completely, as tears poured from her eyes, her lips curled back over her teeth as she grimaced and cried almost silently, aside from the whimpers that escaped her throat. It was terrifying to see. Something Chloe never thought she would witness.

A large hand, Theo's hand disappeared between them, and Chloe choked, Beca's eyes widening, staying locked on hers. Chloe opened her mouth, this was over.

It was in that moment, she looked back into the terrified blue eyes and Beca let out a sob. A loud, heart wrenching sob and Chloe stopped. She felt everything stop. Or, that is how it felt. It felt as though the whole world stopped.

That sound, was something she'd never heard.

It was as if nothing was moving. Then a hoarse, uneven voice, "Ch-Chloe, Help me!"

Chloe's whole body went rigid. Had she just...

Her eyes once again, though slightly unfocused, moved to Beca's. There she was met with pleading eyes and Theo lifted away from her neck.

"I need you," Beca's voice cracked.

Kommissar smiled, and Theo looked down at the girl below him.

"You hear that Chloe? She does speak." Kommissar hissed in her ear. "But can you listen?"

A/N: I know! Bad place to stop it..l but it felt like the right place to stop it. LOTS happened in this chapter... BECA spoke! And I looked it up, even after so long with out talking, she would be able to speak just fine, just a little raspy. I wanted her first word to be Chloe and my lovely GF helped me with the first lines she would speak. I hope this was up to everyone's standards, I am actually quite happy with it. Which doesn't happen. Ever. SO please review and the next chapter is coming up SOON!


	22. Promises

A/N: FIRST AND FOREMOST. a few of you I think were a little confused and angry. Beca was NOT raped. Chloe didn't just sit back and watch her get raped. She was barely touched. The man kissed her neck, undid her pants, and had just barely moved his hand between them, when Beca spoke to Chloe. I may have written it wrong, I really did try to write it so it made sense. Chloe was panicking in her own mind, she was physically trying to fight to get free. It was chaos, and she was literally about to tell them she would cooperate when Beca spoke. She wasn't raped. I hope it makes better sense now. I wanted to could clear that up because it really bugged me, and some people were angry. So there you go. Chloe would never just sit back and watch that.

Chloe's eyes stayed on Beca as she pulled free of the Kommissars grasp. The woman had intentionally loosened her grip, and smirked at the surprise on Chloe's face when she realized she was free.

She looked at the taller woman for a second, thinking she was going to pull her back. When she didn't she turned to Theo.

"Get the fuck off of her." Chloe growled hurrying towards them and he looked at Kommissar who nodded. He smiled at her, zipping his pants and standing up. Chloe instantly dropped down beside Beca and the younger girl began to sit up as Chloe quickly buttoned her jeans.

"Beca I am so sorry." She cried as Beca sat up fully and Chloe pulled her against her, cradling her against her chest as she cried.

Kommissar watched and raised an eyebrow in thought. After a moment, she smiled. Not a friendly smile, but a menacing one. One that couldn't mean anything good.

"I'm going to give you the night. Just this one night." Kommissar said. "Even an evil bitch," she mocked Chloe's name for her. "Like me,can tell when something..." she looked up at the ceiling dramatically. "Beautiful has happened." She grinned and Theo walked out.

"Rest well. Talk it over, now that she has regained her ability to speak." Chloe glared at the woman.

"She needs water, and food."

Kommissar laughed. "Does she?" She asked.

"Please, Kommissar?" She asked. "Water at least, please," she begged as she held Beca tightly, not willing to let her go now that she had her.

Kommissar rolled her eyes. "Fine. Theo, get them water." She said and Chloe let out a breath.

"Thank you," Chloe said softly as she looked down at Beca.

"Don't thank me yet." She said as Theo handed her a bottle of water and she tossed it into the room. It rolled to a stop against Chloe's leg and she reached down and grabbed it.

"Have a good night." She said stepping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Chloe quickly took the cap off the water and Beca moved away from her chest. She was bruised, bloody and looked as if she could pass out any second.

"Drink," Chloe said gently lifting the bottle to her lips. She reached up to take the bottle and Chloe felt her hand shaking. She watched with heartbroken eyes, as Beca drank quickly, some of the water dribbling down her chin. She lifted her hand and placed it over Beca's, steadying the bottle.

She drank half of it, before pulling it away from her lips and taking a breath. Chloe's eyes were wet with tears as she watched the girl struggle to stop herself from crying anymore. She looked so defeated. The once strong, seemingly fearless girl, was completely broken.

"Beca, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. That I didn't just tell them where camp was." She said. "I'm sorry I let them do this to you," she said.

Beca looked down, her arms circled around herself. "Beca?" She asked softly. She was closing herself off. Chloe was sure she didn't imagine Beca speaking to her, pleading with her.

Two blue eyes lifted to meet hers and Chloe tried to smile, something to comfort her, to make her feel even a little better. The smile fell, when Beca moved away from her. She watched as she winced and whimpered, moving her sore battered body against the wall a few feet away.

Her heart clenched as she turned her face away.

"Beca?"

She didn't answer, and she didn't look at Chloe. The redhead sat back, her eyes on the small figure now across the room. She could see the tears flowing steadily out of her eyes. She could see her fighting to keep them in. The small sounds, she made as she tried to stay quiet. Chloe wanted so badly to go to her, pull her back into her arms and comfort her, but she knew that Beca didn't want that. She sat back, not knowing what to do as Beca fell apart a few feet away.

XXXXXX

Jesse felt his anger boiling inside of him. His jaw clenched, his fists flexed and his eyes stayed locked in place. Aubrey felt the worry pooling in her belly. They were tired, they weren't thinking straight. They needed rest, but there was no longer time for that.

Jesse stepped forward and Stacie grabbed him. "Jesse, no." She whispered harshly.

He wrenched his arm out of her grasp and she stumbled to the side. "Stacie, I swear to god, I've put up with you for the last week, and my patience has worn thin. Get out of my way, before I help you out of my way."

Aubrey stepped forward. "Jesse, don't."

He looked at the blonde. "Stop protecting her!" He yelled. "She is the reason this happened! It's her fault we are in this mess!"

"We aren't in anything! They are!" Aubrey finally lost her temper and thrust her finger in the direction Jesse had been headed. "Beca and Chloe. Are the ones who are in danger. If they are even still alive, and Stacie is the one that got us here! Yeah, she fucked up. She didn't tell us about these people sooner. But how was she to know this would happen? And if it weren't for her knowing how to get back here, who knows what could happen to them! So knock it off and just listen to her!"

Jesse kept his glare in place as he relaxed his shoulders and looked back across the field. They were at the edge of the woods, about one hundred yards away from the school. It took them nearly a week, but they found it. They were tired, hungry and hadn't had water in two days.

"We can't just walk up to it, it's guarded." She said. "They have guns. They have more ammo than they know what to do with. It's secure, and walking up to it, would be the last walk you took. They don't ask questions, you'd be shot immediately."

"You got free." He said turning to her. "How?"

Aubrey looked at Stacie, her eyes as curious as Jesses.

"I told you, she allowed me to hunt. I planned it, for weeks. I obeyed her, I did everything she told me to do. Everything she made me do. I made her believe she had succeeded in breaking me. Making me hers, to do with as she pleased. When I was sure, it could be done, I mentioned to her that I had seen signs of multiple deer very close by. I convinced her to let me go hunting. Of course, she wouldn't allow me out alone. But, I had gained some trust. She sent me with just three of her people. Usually it was more than that, and she would go as well."

Aubrey lowered herself to the ground against a tree. They weren't moving yet, and she was hurting from the long hours of walking.

"When we were out, I lead them as far away as I could,

promising them, that I knew what I was doing, and that we would be going back with a lot of food. In reality I was looking for a creature. Just one, it was all I needed."

Jesse crossed his arms and leaned against the tree Aubrey was sitting against. His eyes moving to look at the school for a moment, then looking back at her.

"And I found one. I was lucky, too. It was big. And they missed when they shot at it. I purposely threw myself at it, and let it grab me. I had my arms locked, and I knew it was stupid, but I had to try. I screamed for help, and they ran to me. When they pulled me free, I shoved one of them into the creature and they both fell. It bit him, and the momentary shock of the other two, gave me time to attack them. I shot one point blank in the head. The other one sobered up quickly and tackled me. We fought, and it was close, but I still had the gun, and he couldn't get a grip on his, before I shot him in the chest."

"You took out three men, just like that?" Aubrey asked.

"I've shortened the story, for times sake. It was bloody, and it could have ended much worse. But I killed the creature, and the one that it bit... I didn't kill him, exactly. I, used all their shoelaces, and I tied him to a tree. So that, the kommissar would find him."

Jesse looked almost impressed. Aubrey looked terrified and as if she finally understood. "You left one for her, because? You wanted to get back at her?"

Stacie looked toward the school and nodded. "The one I left, was one that she was very close too. She had made me..." she trailed off uncomfortably. "He forced me," she said quickly. "She let him force me, and I hated him. More than anyone, I hated him, and I hated her for letting him do what he did. I wanted them both to feel how much I hated them. I wanted him to suffer in that body, and I wanted her to have to kill him." She said and Aubrey could hear the anger seeping into her voice.

Jesse looked down, the guilt that he didn't know was coming, hit him hard. He didn't know how bad it had been for Stacie. What had been done to her. And now, what could be happening to Beca and Chloe.

"The one I left, for them to find. For Kommissar to kill." She said looking down. "He was her brother."

XXXXXX

It seemed like a lifetime before the small sounds coming from Beca stopped. Chloe looked over at her. It had, in reality, been maybe two hours. Two hours of nothing but the sound of Beca's small, almost silent sobs. Chloe couldn't comfort her. She didn't want Chloe's help.

"Beca?" She asked softly. "Are you okay?" She tried. Hoping Beca might say something else. She so badly wanted to hear her voice again. Preferably, not begging for help.

She was silent, but slowly turned to look at her. Her eyes were bloodshot, bruised, and her tears had created streaks down her cheeks, through the blood that was there. She looked at Chloe, with so much pain in her eyes and Chloe had no idea how much the brunette was struggling in that moment.

She scooted closer to her, though. "Can I help you get cleaned up?" She asked softly. Beca watched as Chloe grabbed the half empty bottle of water. She took the cap off and set it down before grabbing the bottom of her shirt, and ripping it. Beca flinched at the sound, and looked to see Chloe rip a piece of the shirt completely off. Then, she poured some of the water on it.

She knew that Beca needed to drink more, so she didn't use too much. However, she needed to know if Beca's face was in need of any serious medical attention. She lifted the wet piece of cloth and Beca watched her hand as it moved closer to her face. Then she felt the cold sensation of the water as Chloe gently cleared away as much of the blood as possible. She cleaned as much as possible. Luckily finding nothing too serious.

"Beca, I," she stared and Beca looked at her. "Beca, please." She said pulling her hand back. "Please say something. Anything." She asked. She wasn't trying to order her to speak. She was desperate to hear her voice again though.

Her heart leapt as Beca opened her mouth slightly. She seemed to want to say something but closed her mouth again.

"It's okay, Becs. It just me," she said gently. "It's okay."

Beca looked down, she wanted so badly to speak. She could feel the words in her throat. It seemed so foreign to her now, it had been so long. She hadn't even really thought about it, when she spoke her first words, just hours before. She was so scared, everything hurt, and she couldn't let him do what he was about to do. She didn't want it, and she didn't want Chloe to watch it happen. Her fear, is what she assumed, pulled the words from her. It wasn't ideal. Not exactly, how she would have liked to sound the first time Chloe heard her speak.

She felt a soft, warm hand on her cheek, guiding her face up and she looked at Chloe. "It's just me, Becs. Just us. I'm not going to let them hurt you again. I promise." She said gently. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, I don't care what I have to do."

Beca felt her eyes fill with fresh tears and she tried to blink them away. When they fell she tried to look away from Chloe, not wanting her to see her cry anymore. But, Chloe wouldn't allow it, and she carefully pulled her back around, making her look at her.

"You don't have to hide from me, Beca."

Beca met her eyes, a small sob escaping her lips as she fell into her again and Chloe gladly wrapped her in a protective embrace.

"I've got you." She reassured her. "I'm going to get us out of here." She whispered as she began to rock them, doing whatever she could to soothe her. "Shh, shh, just try to relax, baby, I've got you."

Chloe felt the heat rush to her face at the pet name she just gave Beca. She hadn't meant to say it, but it came out so naturally. She hoped Beca didn't mind, and continued to try and calm her down. She knew this was uncomfortable for Beca. She had been so strong, and fearless for so long. And now, it had been taken from her.

It was several hours later, and Chloe had moved to lean against the wall, Beca against her. The smaller girl had finally drifted off. Her sleep was anything but peaceful, and Chloe knew she was trapped in her nightmares. She wanted to wake her, but she knew this was the first time she had slept in days.

She figured the sun must be coming up soon, and she had yet to get Beca to speak to her. Kommissar had told them to talk things over. She knew she meant about finding their camp. However, she had already decided. She wasn't going to break her promise to Beca. They wouldn't touch her again. She would lead them there, no matter how long it took. They would figure it out.

The door opened not long after Chloe herself had drifted off and she jerked as the room was filled with light and heavy footsteps. Her eyes had barely adjusted when she felt Beca's weight pulled from her.

"No, get your hands off of her!" She growled standing up quickly as Theo stepped back, holding onto a groggy, confused looking Beca. She reached for her, but lol Theo pushed against her shoulder and she fell back into the wall. Kommissar walked in then.

"Good morning. Have we decided on-" she stopped, her eyes dropping and Chloe looked at her in confusion before looking down. The place where she ripped her shirt to clean the blood off of Beca, was the part covering her stitches.

"What's this?" She asked walking over and Chloe didn't move to stop her as she grabbed her shirt and lifted it, looking at the stitches.

"I got cut." Was the only explanation she offered.

"These are good." She said, running her fingers over the stitches. "Familiar." She said and Chloe looked at her.

"Stacie gave you these stitches." Kommissar said knowingly.

Chloe nodded. "She did." She said.

"You know, Chloe, it was only a matter of time, before she turned on you, like she turned on me." She said, "I gave her a home. Food, a job. I made her worth something. And what did she do? Killed my people, and ran off. No doubt to con someone else. You." She said looking at her.

Chloe let out a breath. "Did you and Beca talk?" She asked moving her attention to Beca who was now fully awake, her eyes locked on them.

"She was tired. She needed to rest." Chloe said.

"Yes, I suppose she did." She said walking over and tilting Beca's face to look at her.

"You dodged a bullet yesterday my dear."

Chloe shifted her feet. "Leave her." She warned.

"Or what?" Theo asked smirking at her.

"I'll tell you," she said. "Take us back to the truck. I can lead you to our camp from there."

Kommissar turned away from Beca, who's eyes were wide, on Chloe.

"Is that so?"

"One condition." She said.

Kommissar nodded. "I'm listening."

"You won't touch Beca again. Either of you. Any of you, actually. And if and when we find them. You take Stacie, and leave us alone. We will leave the area. We will leave this side of the country."

Kommissar smiled. "And I should believe you, because?"

"Because, I wouldn't do anything to cause her more harm." She nodded towards Beca. "I am asking for her safety, as well as mine and my other two friends. In exchange for Stacie."

Kommissar walked over to her. "Chloe, life is short." She said. "Shorter these days. You are giving up a life, one that is yours to give, to ensure the safety, of her." She said turning to Beca and cupping her face in one hand. Chloe felt her muscles tense.

"That's right." She confirmed. "Deal or not?"

She stepped away from Beca and shrugged. "Alright, Chloe. You take us to Stacie, to your camp. And no more harm will come to Beca. Or you, or the others in your group."

Chloe nodded, "Starting now. Tell your goon to let her go." She said looking at Theo.

Kommissar raised her hands in mock surrender. "Theo, let her go."

The mans smile faded and he shoved Beca toward Chloe. She anticipated his rough treatment, and was ready to catch her. Once she had ahold of her, she moved her behind her back.

"I'll get my people ready. We leave first thing tomorrow morning." Kommissar said.

"Why not now?" Chloe asked.

She didn't get an answer, instead, Kommissar turned her back to them, and walked out, followed by Theo and the door was shut and locked. Chloe let out a breath and looked at Beca. Her eyes were worried. Chloe shook her head lightly, her eyes moving to the door. She could see the shadow of someone standing outside it through the crack at the bottom.

Chloe lowered them back to the ground. She needed to plan. And Beca, needed to Sleep. "Lay against me." She said and Beca didn't argue as her eyelids grew heavy once more.

XXXXXX

As the hours passed, Chloe grew restless. She didn't know how she was going to get them out of this mess. They were unarmed. Injured, and easily overpowered. All she knew was she needed to get them out of there. She needed to get Beca out of there.

She guessed the sun was beginning to set, by the light under the door. It was around then, Beca began to stir.

Chloe smiled lightly as she sat up and yawned. "Hey sleepy head." She said reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Beca looked at her, her eyes still sleepy. However, to Chloe's delight. She smiled softly. Chloe felt her stomach flutter.

"It's almost nighttime. We have a few hours, before we leave. I don't know how yet, but I'm going to fix this. I will figure it out once we are out of this building." She said, glancing at the door. The shadow had gone hours before.

She let her eyes rest there, just in case. It was then she felt a hand rest on her own. She looked down at Beca's hand. Cold, and small, with scrapped knuckles.

"Thank you,"

Her head jerked up so fast, she felt something in her neck crack and she looked at Beca who was looking right back at her.

Chloe instantly grabbed the bottle of water and took the cap off. "Drink, I know your throat must be dry." She said and Beca took the bottle, taking a few small sips from it. She then offered it to Chloe.

"No, you need it more than I do."

Beca lifted the bottle to Chloe's lips, not giving her room to argue. She sighed before taking a few small sips herself. She didn't know if they would be getting anymore.

"I-I," Beca started again, and Chloe's heart began to beat painfully. "I won't," her voice was small, and a little raspy from lack of use. "I won't let them hurt you, either." She said and looked down for a moment, and Chloe could see the red tint in her cheeks.

She felt warmth spread through her, and couldn't help the smile on her face. She hadn't imagined it. Beca had spoken. She was talking again, even if it was only a little bit. She could take all the time she needed.

She reached up, not even thinking, just acting in the moment. Her hand wrapped around the back of Beca's neck gently and she leaned forward, her lips pressing against Beca's and she felt the girl tense for a moment,before she relaxed.

Chloe felt her whole body erupt in goosebumps, as Beca kissed her back. She couldn't wait any longer. It happened before she made the conscious decision to do so. She had to show Beca how she felt. They had almost kissed in the truck that day, she knew Beca felt the same.

She didn't know if they were going to make it out of this mess. And she wasn't going to miss this chance, to show Beca how much she cared for her. She stopped herself. Pulling back. She couldn't think like that. She made Beca a promise, and she wasn't going to break it. She would find a way out of this.

"I'm going to get us out of here, Beca, I promise." She said, leaning her forehead against Beca's and she felt the slightest nod. Then Beca angled her face to kiss her again. Just a light brush of her lips, her eyes falling closed.

Chloe smiled as she felt the unfamiliar, but comfortable breath whisper across her lips.

"I trust you."

A/N: I know she didn't speak much, but it's coming! She had to come to terms with all of this! Hope you liked this! Aside from the few pissed off people. The reviews have been amazing you guys and they help me so much! So please keep them coming!


	23. Always

"We need to move."

"Jesse, I told you, we can't just walk up to the doors and knock."

"Then what do we do, Stacie?" Aubrey asked.

Stacie sighed and looked toward the school. The sun was beginning to rise and they still didn't know how to get into the school. "We could create a diversion. A fire maybe?" Jesse suggested and Stacie shook her head.

"And who is going to put it out, what if it spreads? We live in these woods." She asked. Jesse huffed.

"I don't see you coming up with any ideas. We have been outside this place for almost 24 hours. No movement has come from that building. Are you sure they are even still there?"

She nodded. "I'm sure." She said looking at the building. "Just wait a little longer."

"For what? What's your plan?" He asked.

She looked at him in annoyance. "They will send out a group, just after sunrise. To hunt. They do it every morning. And when they do, we ambush the group."

"You think that will work?" Aubrey asked.

"I think it's the best chance we've got." Stacie said, her voice sounding less than sure.

Jesse shook his head, looking at the building. "And if they aren't in there?" He asked.

Aubrey looked at Stacie, her eyes widening. It was as if that possibility hadn't even crossed her mind. Stacie returned the look.

"I saw them before they shot out the tires. Even if they did die in the accident and became... something else. They wouldn't have gotten that far, we would have found them."

Aubrey seemed to relax at this. They had to be in that building. Stacie seemed sure of it. Getting into that building, however sounded like it could be the last thing they ever did.

XXXXXX

"What are we going to do?"

Chloe couldn't look away from Becas lips. She wasn't trying to be a creep, but she also couldn't stop watching her lips move when she spoke. Her voice wasn't strong but it was getting there. She spoke a few words, and Chloe couldn't get enough of the sound.

"I'll think of something." She said softly. "When we get out of the building, I'll think of something." Chloe said, nodding her head confidently but Beca saw right thought it.

She could see the uneasiness on her face and she wanted nothing more than to make it go away. "I know that doesn't sound like a very good plan, but I promise I'm going to get you out of this." She said reaching over to take Becas hand.

Beca looked down, squeezing Chloe's hand lightly. "Us." She said and Chloe looked at her curiously. "You're going to get us out of this."

Chloe smiled and nodded. "Us." She said and leaned in to place a kiss on Becas cheek.

The door opened at that moment and Chloe pulled back quickly. Beca looked down into her lap, holding Chloe's hand tighter. "It's almost sunrise." Came Kommissars voice.

Chloe looked up at her as she stopped a few feet from them.

"Do we still have a deal?" She asked.

Chloe nodded. "Yes."

She clapped her hands together with a large smile. "Good." She said. "We will be leaving soon." She said turning towards the door again and Chloe sat up straight.

"Wait," she said and Beca jumped as her voice echoed in the room.

Kommissar turned with a questioning look.

"She needs this blood cleaned off, and food." She said motioning to Beca. "Can we please clean up? Before we go? And get some food?"

Beca looked up at Chloe, her eyes wondering.

Kommissar turned back around and crossed her arms. "Sure Chloe. You can clean up. I'll even give you a full meal, both of you." She said and Chloe's eyes narrowed.

"If?" She asked.

Kommissar smirked and looked at Beca. "If she asks me." She said and Chloe looked at Beca.

The smaller girl looked at her, unsure of what to do, uncomfortable with the entire situation.

Chloe looked at her, her eyes pleading. "We have to eat Becs." She said softly though her eyes widened and Beca knew she had something else on her mind. She looked at the Kommissar. The woman who could end their lives with a snap of her fingers.

She felt her stomach tighten and her face grow hot. Her eyes flashed to Chloe's face. She nodded hopefully. She looked back at Kommissar, her expectant, amused smirk made her want to disappear into the wall behind her. She gulped lightly.

Chloe had a plan. A reason for asking this of her. She knew if she didn't go along with this, then it proved she didn't trust Chloe, and she truly did. She opened her mouth nervously.

"I-P-please, can we clean up, and have something to eat?" She asked, trying to keep her voice even.

Kommissar smiled. "Wow, what a lovely voice. So much sweeter than I would have thought." She said walking over to them and Chloe tensed.

Beca felt this through their joined hands and felt her own body begin to tense up.

"Why did you ever stop?" She asked and Beca looked from her to Chloe.

Chloe could see how uncomfortable Beca was and all she wanted to to was save her from having to go through this. Even though, she was the reason Beca was in this situation.

"She was-" Chloe started but Kommissar threw a hand up to silence her.

"I asked her." She said and reached down taking Becas arm and lifting her up. Chloe jumped up as well.

"Don't touch her!" She said and tried to block Beca from her.

This resulted in Kommissar pushing Chloe away from her so roughly she fell back down. Beca moved to go to her but was stopped by a hand on her chest pushing her against the wall.

"Chloe, please don't be stupid. We have a deal, I won't hurt her, and I didn't plan too. I simply wanted her on her feet. We will be leaving the room in a moment anyway."

Chloe looked up at them. Kommissar looked annoyed, Beca looked terrified.

She felt foolish.

Kommissar looked back at Beca. "Tell me, why did you stop talking, Beca?"

Chloe stood back up, rubbing her elbow where it hit the concrete.

"I-don't know." She said.

"Now, Beca, let's not lie."

"Just leave her alone." Chloe practically begged.

"Hush." Kommissar waved her off before looking back at Beca. "Try again."

Beca felt the tears flood her eyes. "I-I killed children." She said, her eyes closing tightly, trying to stop the tears from falling and Chloe hurried over to her, pulling her away from Kommissar and into a hug.

Kommissar looked at them for a moment.

"That's rough. I'm sorry you had to do that." She said and Chloe looked at her in shock.

Kommissar noticed and glared at her. "You know Chloe, you might not be so quick to assume I'm a heartless monster."

"Forgive me, I didn't have much to go on aside from you beating us both a pulp and nearly letting that freak rape her." She growled.

"I'll let that slide." Kommissar sighed. "You want to clean up, you will be escorted. This means, when one of my men guides her," she motioned to Beca, "You stay quiet and cooperative."

Chloe didn't like it, but she nodded.

"I'll be back." She said and walked out, closing the door.

As soon as they were alone Beca looked at Chloe with teary eyes. "What are you doing?" She asked with an uneven voice.

"We are going to need energy, love. You need food and we need to get this dried blood off of both of us. Do you trust me?"

Beca nodded. "Always."

XXXXXX

Chloe was surprised when they were lead into a room with a giant metal tub in it.

"There is only one way out of this room. And it's through the same door we entered. It will also be guarded, so just don't waste your time." Kommissar explained.

Beca and Chloe looked around the medium sized room as she spoke. "You will eat, while someone fills the tub. The water will be Luke warm and the soap won't last." She said sounding almost bored.

"Thank you." Chloe nodded as two men walked in holding a large storage container, dumping it into the tub.

It was then, another man came in holding an old cracked plate piled with what looked like bread and fruit.

"Eat." Kommissar said as the plate was handed to Chloe.

She took it and lead Beca over to a wall where they both sat and shared the food. "Take it slow, don't make yourself sick." Chloe said softly as Beca had already finished a piece of bread and was working on what she assumed was a peach.

She nodded and chewed at a slower pace.

"I'll be back. Enjoy your bath." Kommissar said and turned, leaving the room. The men came in two more times pouring the storage container into the tub before leaving and shutting the door.

It took a few minutes after that, for them to finish eating. Chloe felt sick, and she knew that Beca must feel that way too, however, she wasn't saying it if it were true.

"Okay love, let's get cleaned up." She said and Beca looked at the tub nervously.

"It's only me Beca. I won't look at you, I swear."

Beca looked down and nodded. She began to stand up and Chloe quickly got to her feet and helped her.

Beca winced and whimpered as Chloe helped her out of her clothes. She covered herself, looking away from Chloe shyly. They had been in the lake together, but they kept their underwear on then. This time, they weren't.

"I'll help you in, and wash your hair, I'll get in when you're done." Chloe said.

"No." Beca looked at her.

"No?"

"The water will be cold by then. Get in with me." She said softly.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"I don't want you to be cold." Beca argued and Chloe couldn't help but smile.

"Alright then." She said and lifted her shirt over her head and Beca looked down. Though not before seeing all the bruising on her chest and stomach. She knew she must look pretty bad herself.

Soon enough they were both in the tub, Chloe behind Beca, using the small amount of soap to wash the blood from her hair. Beca stayed quiet, as Chloe washed her back, and her arms. Carefully avoiding pressing to hard on her bruises. Beca, thinking back to when they did this in the lake. Beca washed the rest of her body as Chloe washed herself. They were nearly done, the damage to Becas face on full display, when the door opened.

They both jumped and Beca lifted her knees to her chest holding them there.

"Clothes." The man said and dropped a pile of clothes on the floor before walking out.

Beca relaxed and Chloe eyed the pile. "Food, a bath and clean clothes." She said as she rinsed herself off.

"Do you think this means something bad is coming?''Beca asked. Chloe shook her head.

"I don't know. But whatever it means, I won't-"

"Let them hurt me." Beca cut her off. "I know." She said softly.

"Beca?" Chloe asked.

"You have to protect yourself too, Chloe." She said turning slightly to look at her and Chloe felt her blood boil at the sight of Becas face. A black eye, split lip, bruised cheek, cut forehead and various other bruises littered her face.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just can't stand the thought of them..." she trailed off. "I'm afraid, Kommissar is going to change her mind. I'm afraid she will let that guy..."

Beca looked down and Chloe stopped. "I'm sorry." She said.

"I just want to keep my promise to you."

Beca looked up and nodded. "You can't do that, if something happens to you, can you? Please, protect yourself." She said and Chloe nodded slightly.

Kommissar walked in a half hour later, this time an automatic was slung over her shoulder.

"You look, better." She said eyeing them. Chloe had pulled Becas hair back, French braiding it and tying it with a torn strip of cloth from their old shirts. She did the same to her hair, knowing they would need their long curls held back, out of their face. Each wearing simple tshirts and jeans.

"We are ready to go." She said and Beca looked at Chloe.

"Okay." Chloe nodded. "Can we just follow you out? We just got the stink of your men off of us."

Kommissar chuckled. "So sassy." She said. "Sure. One wrong move though, and she dies." She said pointing at Beca.

Chloe looked down for a Moment before taking Becas hand. "Lead the way."

XXXXXX

"Anytime now." Stacie whispered. They had gotten closer, and they could see the gate clearly. They were ready to ambush the morning hunting group. The moment the gate was opened and they had a clear shot. Stacie said they could begin shooting and it would give them enough time to get inside the gates, before other came to check the noise.

They had their guns raised and ready. The sun rising higher, the birds chirping louder. Aubrey's heartbeat pounding harder in her chest with each passing minute. Her hand sweaty as she held the gun firmly. She controlled the shaking that she felt in the rest of her body.

Jesse glared. His eyes set on the gates, his anger rising with every minute they didn't open. These bastards would pay for whatever they had done to Beca.

Stacie felt the fear beginning to surface. These people tortured her. She escaped, only to have to come back, and possibly never leave. She adjusted the grip on her crossbow.

"Any second..." she said, her eyes narrowing.

They heard metal clanking and they all tensed, steadying their aim. The gate creaked loudly as it swung open and the birds fell silent. A shadow crossed the ground as the gate opened and Aubrey let her finger fall over the trigger. This was it. Shoot to kill.

The first flash of dark clothing appeared and she held her breath as she prepared to shoot.

One, two, three people out of the gate. She let her breath go and began to pull the trigger.

"Hold your fire!"

She jumped hearing the harsh whisper from her left. Her eyes widened and she looked at Stacie.

"What the fuck?!" Jesse hissed.

"Look," Stacie said urgently and they looked as two more people emerged from the gate.

"Oh my god."

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW?! What do you think?! And happy Easter!


	24. Is this goodbye?

Aubrey's eyes fell on the girls walking out of the gates. Her grip on the pistol in her hand faltering. It was Chloe. And Beca. They were both there, just a few dozen yards away.

Jesses eyes were wide and hard. His jaw clenched, as the group left the gates and walked towards the woods.

He stepped forward and Stacie, who had been looking at someone different in the group of five that left the gates, grabbed him.

"What are you doing?" He demanded yanking his arm free.

"You can't just rush at them Jesse." She said tearing her eyes away from the tall blonde leading the group.

He looked at her as if she were from another planet. "Are you fucking serious?! It was your idea to ambush!"

She shoved him back roughly, into the trees, glancing over at the group as the gates closed.

Aubrey moved with them, her eyes flickering back tot he group multiple times.

"Yeah, that was the plan when I thought it was a hunting group." She said looking at the group as they walked towards the tree line a few hundred hands to their left. "We need a new plan. That woman, in the front. That's the Kommissar and she will not hesitate to kill them the moment she sees me. The moment she sees any of us." She said looking at Aubrey, making sure she heard her too.

"They aren't tied up." Aubrey said as she again had her eyes on the group. They were getting closer to the tree line, and Beca and Chloe were behind the rest, their arms hung by their sides. They weren't tied up, they were walking freely.

Jesse moved forward. He eyed them, blood rushing to his face as the injuries on Beca's face stood out in the bright morning light.

"So what now?" Jesse asked not looking away. Already planning what he was going to do to that blonde devil that he knew was responsible for Beca's bruises.

Stacie rolled her shoulders. "Now, I do the only thing she thought I was good for." She said moving off to the left, lifting her crossbow.

Jesse and Aubrey exchanged looks. "I hunt. You stay quiet."

XXXXXX

As the sun disappeared above the trees, and the temperature seemed to drop significantly as they entered the woods, Beca brushed her knuckles against Chloe's and the older girl slipped her hand into Beca's.

Kommissar lead the group. Her two men behind her, and Chloe and Beca in the back. They both found it strange, that one of them didn't walk behind them, to make sure they wouldn't try anything. They didn't comment on it. And they wondered if Kommissar did this on purpose. If she was testing them. They wondered if she hoped they would do something.

"What's the plan, Chlo?" Beca asked quietly and Chloe looked at her, her lips forming a small smile at the nickname.

"I uh, I don't know yet." She admitted and saw Beca look away from her out of the corner of her eye.

She didn't know what else to say. She didn't have a plan, not yet. But she would think of one. She didn't know how long it would take to get back to the truck. Days, maybe, if the packs the men carried on their backs were any indication.

With Chloe's hand still held firmly in her own, Beca took in her surroundings. The scent of Autumn was beginning to make itself known, and she looked around to see the leaves had begun to change from their vibrant green color, to various shades of red and yellow. The pine trees, of course stayed their natural green color and she couldn't help the memories of coming into the woods every December, to cut down one of these trees. To take into the house and cover in pretty lights and bulbs.

She shook the memory from her mind and looked down at the ground as they walked. Her shoes crunching on the fallen branches and pine cones. The scent of morning dew mingled with the wet earth as they walked and disturbed the resting ground.

She could almost feel something akin to peace filling her as they walked. It was quiet, aside from the birds singing over head. The sunlight filtered through parts of the trees, illuminating the beads of dew on the branches and the ground. A soft mist still lingered a few feet off the ground as it wasn't warm enough for it to melt away.

It was beautiful. And she could stay in the moment forever. Her hand warm in Chloe's. The sound of the birds, the smell of the woods around her. She didn't know if they were going to live another day. She didn't know what this day might bring, or if there would be a tomorrow.

She didn't know if the was the last time she would see the sparkle of dew on the branches. The leaves changing color, or the beauty of a misty early morning walk through the woods.

She looked to her right at Chloe. She didn't know if this would be the last time Chloe would experience it. She wondered if the older girl was seeing what she was seeing. If she was experiencing, the same thing.

"Chloe," she said gently and the girl looked at her.

"Yeah?"

Beca looked around them again. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She asked and Chloe's brow furrowed in confusion.

Beca saw this and smiled. "This," she said raising her other arm to motion around them.

Chloe looked at what she was referring too. She felt her breath catch, when she realized what they were walking through. It seemed to cut through the darkness that had plagued her mind. It was like one of those wallpapers that came installed on a new laptop. That you really liked, and thought was beautiful, but ended up using a picture of a cat or a group photo of your friends instead.

"It is." She agreed.

"I wanted you to see." Beca said looking back to her left, to see two birds flying around perfectly in sync. "Just in case."

XXXXXX

Aubrey held her gun with both hands, down to her side as she effortlessly followed after Stacie. She did her best to stay light on her feet. Stepping in the exact places Stacie stepped. Avoiding anything that might shift or crack under her weight. Thankfully, Jesse seemed to catch on quickly and was right behind them. Aubrey relaxing just how skilled Stacie was. How she moved so silently, so gracefully. Almost cat like. She couldn't help but admire it, admire her, not even noticing how she was moving just the same. Learning quickly from Stacie, studying her, and repeating what she saw.

They seemed to glide through the woods for nearly ten minutes, the only sound being their light breaths that broke through the air. Stacie had taken a sharp left, as they had been moving directly towards the group. Aubrey was confused only for a moment, before she realized Stacie wanted to get ahead of them. How far ahead, she had no idea, she just followed. She trusted Stacie.

So when the brunette stopped and pressed her back against a tree, motioning for them to do the same, they did.

Aubrey felt her breath coming out in heavy pants and Stacie looked at her, before moving over to where she stood and grabbed Aubrey's hand, placing it over her chest.

"Match it." She said and Aubrey looked at her, feeling her steady breathing under her hand. She had a hard time catching her breath and she knew that she needed to remember to breathe properly when moving like they were. She kept eye contact with Stacie, as her breathing slowed. Jesse, who was bent over, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath looked at them. His mouth open as he tried to control his panting, his eyes troubled.

When Stacie was sure Aubrey had calmed down, she stepped back to her own tree and peered around it.

"What...are we doing?" Jesse asked standing back up.

Stacie looked at him. "Waiting." She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and it kind of was.

"Then?"

She pressed her back against the tree to look at him fully. "You both need to remember to breathe, your doing extremely well, taking my steps, but you have to breathe."

"Are we going to attack them or not?"

"Not yet. They are to close to their camp. The gun fire will be heard, and her people will come looking. We can't risk that. We have to get them at least a day away."

"A day?!" He almost yelled.

"I know these people, Jesse. You don't. Just fucking trust me. Whatever you think we should do is sure to get us killed. You saw Beca's face. You saw what they have already done, and I assure you it isn't only her face that looks like that. Chloe either." She looked at Aubrey. "If they can do that, to a 5 foot nothing girl who doesn't talk, can you imagine what they will do to you? You're a man. You're a threat." She growled. "They wouldn't keep you around long. Aubrey? She would be kept. So would I, Beca, Chloe... you don't know them. I do. So trust me. We get them far enough away that if anything goes wrong, they are too far from their camp." Jesse sat back with a glare.

Aubrey looked sick.

Stacie felt bad for a moment, seeing the look on Aubrey's face at what she had said. She wished it weren't the truth. But it was. She hadn't meant to scare her, but she wasn't going to lie. They needed to understand what was at stake here.

She heard a branch snap and froze before looking out from behind the tree.

About fifteen yards back, was Kommissar and the rest. Beca and Chloe still in the back. Now, their hands clasped together. Beca had a strange look on her face. An almost relaxed look. A hint of a smile, curved her lips as she looked around. Chloe had been looking at her, her eyes full of concern, as she looked away from Beca and around the area.

Stacie kept her gaze locked on Chloe, hoping she would see them. But she didn't. She turned the other way, looking to her right.

She moved back behind the tree as they got closer, and were about to pass. Looking at the Kommissar, seeing a sly grin on her face. She knew that smile, and it sent chills down her spine. They were only maybe twenty feet away, as they passed, and Stacie looked to see Aubrey and Jesse watching with wide eyes. They were so close. Jesse looked at Stacie and she held a finger to her lips and shook her head.

They passed, not noticing the group of three just yards away.

No one moved or made a sound, until they were out of sight, and earshot.

"We could have taken them down easy." Jesse said.

"Maybe." Stacie said, looking in the direction they went. "Something feels off." She said.

"What do you mean?" Aubrey asked.

"They aren't tied. They are behind the group. Kommissar didn't look back at them even once. Nor did the men. They could have ducked behind a tree, they could have split off. But they didn't, and she didn't bother to make sure."

"What do you think that means? And why are we not following?" Jesse asked.

"I think, she is testing them. To see if either of them try to run."

"Why?" Aubrey asked as Stacie began to move again and they fell into step.

"To show them that they can't. To show them what happens if they try." She said, knowing exactly how Kommissar liked to play mind games. Aubrey looked in the direction they were all headed. Hoping Stacie wasn't right. And if she was, hoping they didn't try to run.

XXXXXX

They had walked all day. Never stopping, not once to take a break. Kommissar didn't look behind her at them a single time and Beca hadn't spoken again since her words to Chloe. The redhead was a little concerned with Beca's behavior. The way she had seemed to not only completely submit to what was happening, but she seemed to do so, as if there was no other way out. The way she spoke, sounded an awful like a goodbye. Like defeat.

They stopped as the sun was setting and Chloe and Beca were directed to sit against a tree, and to stay there. Their feet ached, and they didn't argue with them.

They watched as the men set up two tents. That had apparently been folded extremely tightly into two bags. While they did this, Kommissar walked over and crouched in front of them.

"Sore?" She asked handing Chloe a bottle of water that she instantly took and unscrewed the cap, handing it to Beca. Kommissar watched as the smaller of the two hesitantly took it and sipped it before handing it back.

"We are fine." Chloe said taking a drink. "How far is it, to the truck?"

"A weeks walk. At least." She smirked.

Chloe felt her stomach fill with dread, as well as hope. She had time to plan.

Kommissar stood up and walked over to where they had finished the tents, and were now building a fire. They had been made to move over to the fire, where they were fed what Chloe assumed was spam. Beca had turned a worrisome shade of green as she ate it and Chloe hoped she didn't throw up. She didn't think Kommissar would be very understanding.

It was late, the crickets chirped and the temperature dropped. Chloe and a Beca were huddled together by the fire. Trying to keep warm, not speaking. Beca could feel Chloe trembling next to her, and wanted to warm her up, a little confused as to why the fire wasn't warming her. It was when a deep painful cough left Chloe's chest that Beca realized why she couldn't warm up. She reached up, placing her hand to Chloe's cheek, then her forehead. She was burning up, and the fire had nothing to do with it. She had a fever, and a cough. She was sick. And they had nothing to help her.

"That was a nasty cough, Chloe." Kommissar said.

Chloe looked across the fire. "It's nothing."

A laugh escaped her and Chloe looked up. "I don't really care what it is. But you sound like shit, and if Beca checking your temperature says anything it's that you have a fever. I can't have you getting me or my men sick." She said standing up and pulling a bottle from her bag.

"Drink this." She said circling the fire. holding out an old half empty bottle of rum to her. Chloe watched her movement carefully and felt Beca tense beside her, and shook her head.

"No thank you."

"It wasn't a question, Chloe. It will help, even better if I had honey, but I don't. So just drink." She said. "You'll infect everyone."

"No." Chloe growled and Kommissar dropped her hand that held the bottle, looking annoyed.

"Travis. Help Chloe drink this please," she said and before Chloe or Beca knew what was happening, Chloe had been grabbed and pulled up, her arms held behind her back with one of his enormous arms.

"Stop!" Chloe cried trying to get away, but he reached around with his other hand, and grabbed her face. Beca shot up but the other man, grabbed her holding her back. Her chest heaved as she watched the man force Chloe's mouth open and the Kommissar pour some of the foul smelling liquid into her mouth.

She was simultaneously proud, and terrified when Chloe spit it back into her face.

She lunged forward, only to be yanked back when Kommissar wiped her face, before slapping Chloe hard across the face and the man grabbed her again, forcing her mouth open and more rum was poured in. The Kommissar then covered her mouth so she couldn't spit it.

"Swallow it. Or I hit her next," Kommissar growled pointing at Beca, still holding the bottle and Chloe swallowed. The moment she knew her mouth was empty she stood back and Travis released her. Beca was let go too and she rushed to her, pulling her into a hug, trying to shield her from the woman.

"Next time, you'll listen-" she was cut off as Beca let Chloe go and landed a hard punch to Kommissars jaw. It hurt like hell, but it stunned the woman long enough for her to get in another punch before she was grabbed. Chloe watched, her eyes watery and wide, as blood trickled out of her nose. Had Beca really done that?

Kommissar laughed, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.

"I think it's time to call it a night." She said.

Chloe looked from her to Beca who was glaring at her, her fist still clenched.

"Travis, you take that tent, take Chloe with you," she motioned to the tent behind Chloe. "Beca and I will share this one."

Fear pooled in both of their stomachs. "No," Chloe gasped as Travis took her arm and pulled her to the tent."

"No, we had a deal!" Chloe cried.

"Yes," Kommissar said as she took Beca's arm. "And neither you, nor Beca will be touched. As much as I'd like to mangle this pretty face even more," she said reaching up and grabbing Beca's chin.

"Sleep well Chloe." She said as she pulled Beca away.

"No, why can't we share a tent," Chloe was panicking.

"Because, that would give you even more time to plan your escape." She said knowingly. "Beca comes with me. Travis, will be with you. That way, neither of you, try to leave your tents. And if you do, you won't get the other without waking one of us. And Erik, will keep watch." She said shoving Beca into the tent. "As I said. Sleep well, Chloe." She said stepping in and zipping it up as Chloe was lead into the other tent.

XXXXXXX

A few yards away, hidden in the darkness, three sets of eyes had perked up at Chloe cry. They had watched, blood boiling as Chloe was forced to drink the alcohol. As she was manhandled, slapped and forced into a tent with out Beca.

They moved closer, keeping their ears open, listening for anything that meant something bad was happening in the tents. They could see the man keep watch. But he couldn't see them. They were separated, making it even harder to even consider going in for them.

They were close enough, they could do it, but not with them in separate tents. Not without alerting one or both of the monsters guarding them. They would have to wait. Wait out the night, and attack in the day light.

XXXXXXX

It was a long, cold night and Chloe desperately wanted to be able to curl up with Beca, knowing their shared body heat would keep them both warm. She hoped Beca was at least a little warm, in the tent a few feet away. She had listened, but hadn't heard anything that would make her think Kommissar was breaking their agreement. Travis blocked the door with his whole body, and snored loudly as he slept. Chloe, knowing she wasn't going to sleep, decided to sit up, try and keep as warm as possible by hugging her knees. Another cough escaped her and she tried to stay quiet but it didn't work. Travis stirred but fell back asleep. She was sick, and that was not good. Not good at all.

A/N: PLEASE review? It helps so much you guys and last chapter didn't get much love. It's a little discouraging. Just let me know your thoughts?


	25. Blood

A/N: I am so tired of writing on my iPad/phone. Thank you all for the awesome response last chapter! I hope the craziness of the Kommissar is fitting, and understandable. She had literally lost it. The reviews are great and they really help! So thanks again, and I hope you like this chapter!

Beca fell asleep about an hour before the sun rose. Not because she wanted too, but because the heaviness of her eyelids, didn't give her a choice. She had stayed awake as long as possible, listening for anything that might tell her Chloe wasn't okay. Kommissar hadn't said a word to her. She simply smiled at her, and laid down beside her. It wasn't the most comfortable way to sleep, and she had turned her back on the woman. Though she could feel her heavy gaze still on her. She ignored it, and after hours of fighting it, she finally drifted off.

It wasn't long however, before she felt something brushing through her hair and her eyes snapped open. She sat up quickly, flipping around with wide eyes.

Her hair, which had been in the french braid Chloe gave her, fell in loose waves over her shoulders. Kommissar was smirking at her. The cloth that held her hair, in her hand.

Beca glared at her. This woman was insane.

"Good morning," Kommissar said. "We have a long walk ahead of us, I hope you slept well." She said as she stood up. Beca followed her movement with her eyes.

"Come on, get up." She said reaching down to grab her arm but Beca yanked it away from her.

She stood on her own and with a sneer towards the much taller woman, she turned toward the entrance of the tent.

She had just reached for the already unzipped flap, when a rough hand fisted in her hair and she was pulled backwards. Her whole body slammed into the woman, and she wrapped the other arm around her waist, holding her in place.

Beca raised a hand, grabbing the wrist that held her hair, tightly.

"I wouldn't be so feisty," Kommissar whispered against her ear. "There is so much I could do to you, and you wouldn't tell her, because if you did, I would kill her." She growled, referring to Chloe. "We have a deal, but if you continue to defy me, I will do something about it. I already forgave your momentary lapse in judgment when you punched me last night. I should have broken your hands." She said yanking her hair harder and she hissed in pain. Her eyes locked on the see through door. She could see the edge of the other tent. She knew Chloe was in it.

She tried to pull away, but Kommissar just held tighter.

"Think about this. One more wrong move, one more defiant glare, anything, I don't approve of, and that bitch will be the one I punish." She said just as Chloe stepped out of the tent and looked towards hers. She knew with the sun, she couldn't see into it. But she could see Chloe clearly. She looked tired, and worried, but otherwise she looked okay.

She nodded. "You are going to start cooperating?"

She nodded again. "Say it." Kommissar growled holding her tighter.

She winced. "Yes," she whispered as Chloe began walking toward the tent. The man who slept in her tent with her, right behind her.

Kommissar let her go and she instantly moved to leave the tent.

Chloe stepped back as Beca stepped out and looked her over.

Beca smiled lightly at her and pulled her into a hug, that Chloe gladly returned.

"Did she do anything?" She asked pulling back and reaching up to play with a strand of her loose hair.

Beca shook her head as Kommissar stepped out of then tent and Chloe looked behind Beca to see her twirling the strip of cloth between her fingers.

"Here you go." Kommissar smiled handing it to Beca and she took it, looking away from both of them as she walked away.

Chloe glared at the woman, then looked at a Beca. "Did she hurt you? Tell me the truth." Chloe said.

She shook her head and handed Chloe the strip of cloth, before walking towards the fire.

XXXXXX

Aubrey peered through sleepy eyes at the people in the camp. She watched as Chloe exited her tent and looked around. She wished she could see her. So she knew they were there. That they were coming for them.

But she didn't. She went right for the tent Beca was in, and the brunette walked out right before they reached it and they hugged.

She yawned as she watched them. Wishing she could just walk into the camp, and take them. But just as quickly as their hug ended, the blonde woman left the tent and handed something to Beca. She didn't miss the glare Chloe sent the woman. Stacie crouched down beside her and she looked at her.

"What now?" She whispered. "When do we go for them?"

Stacie sighed. "We have to time it perfectly. We have to be able to get them, with out the others noticing and we have to be able to kill them." She said. "Before they kill us."

"Now would be a good time." Jesse said from where he sat a few feet away. They are moving slow. Still waking up. I could take out two of them now. You and Aubrey the other two. They would never see it coming." He said standing up and grabbing his gun.

Stacie stood too. "Jesse, we are too far out. What if you miss-" She was cut off by the sound of a gunshot and they all hit the ground as the bullets sliced through the air above them.

"Fuck," Stacie whispered, "Move. Now." She said and they got up into a crouching position, moving as fast as they could in the opposite direction of the small camp.

XXXXXX

Chloe had instantly grabbed Beca and pulled her into her when the man shot into the trees. They both had wide eyes, and Beca held onto Chloe tightly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kommissar demanded walking over to the guy.

He didn't take his eyes away from the area he shot into. "I heard something." He said.

"We are in the woods, you are going to hear things,"

"I saw something." He looked at Kommissar. "Someone." He corrected himself.

The woman looked into the trees. She couldn't see anything, after the gunshot, no birds were chirping. It was silent.

"Right, it was probably one of the dead. Pack up. We are leaving in five minutes." She said and looked at Beca and Chloe.

"Scared?" She smirked.

XXXXXX

The man hadn't been wrong. When Stacie stood up, to stop Jesse. She stood right in his line of sight. He was too quick to shoot luckily. His aim was off and he missed her. But he had seen her. Lucky for her, he only saw the back of her.

It had been hours. Hours of walking, no resting. No water. They hadn't been given anything to eat and they were both feeling dizzy. Chloe tried to suppress her cough, but it didn't work and more than once Kommissar turned to glare at her.

Today, the man who had seen Stacie, walked behind them.

After the third time Chloe tried to cover her cough, Kommissar sighed and turned around. They all stopped and as she walked toward Chloe and the girl stepped back.

"No, please don't," she gasped as she bumped into the man behind her.

Beca could see the fear in her eyes and she wasn't going to let them manhandle her again.

She stepped in front of Chloe protectively.

"Beca, is that wise?" Kommissar demanded as the man pulled the bottle from his bag.

She looked from Kommissar to the man and reached out, grabbing it from him.

Chloe watched her as she uncapped it. Kommissar held her hand up to the man as he stepped toward the smaller girl.

Chloe looked down as Beca lifted the bottle. She knew what Beca was doing. She knew that either way, she was going to have to drink it. It was just up to her weather or not she wanted to do it willingly with Beca being the one to hold the bottle. Or if she wanted a repeat of the night before. She would be lying if she said the alcohol didn't help suppress the cough.

She looked up, as Beca gave her a soft look and nodded. She smiled lightly and took the bottle, bringing it up to her lips and taking a drink. She pulled it away, grimacing at the burn.

"More." Kommissar demanded and Chloe looked at her briefly before taking another large drink, handing it back to Beca as her eyes screwed shut.

Beca put the cap on and handed it to Kommissar.

"Let's keep moving." She said handing the bottle to the man and turning.

Beca touched Chloe's cheek, angling her to look up and Chloe lifted her gaze.

"I'm okay." She said, seeing the question in Beca's eyes. She still didn't always speak. She had grown a custom to speaking through her eyes. She was glad Chloe knew what she was thinking. She let her hand fall and Chloe grabbed it, as they followed after the group. The man close behind them.

It was near sundown when they reached the edge of the forest and stepped out onto a paved road. Beca looked around and her eyes shot to Chloe and the redheads own eyes were wide as she looked at their surroundings.

"Kommissar, can we camp here for the night? Please?" Chloe asked and the woman turned to her.

"No. We have at least another hour before sundown. We can still make it a good distance." She said.

"Please? We haven't had any thing to drink, or eat since yesterday, please?"

Kommissar turned to her. "You aren't listening. I said no. And you won't have anything to eat or drink until I decide." She snapped. "We are going to continue walking." She said.

Chloe felt her stomach drop. This was what she had been waiting for. She had a plan, she just needed to camp here.

"Please?!" She practically yelled and they all stopped. Beca was looking at her with wide eyes.

"We have been walking all day, please can we just rest?"

Kommissar turned and marched toward her, her fist clenched and Beca, once more stepped in front of Chloe.

The woman paid her no mind and simply grabbed her, throwing her to the ground before wrapping her hand tightly around Chloe's throat.

Beca moved to get up, but Chloe held up a hand to stop her.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch her." Chloe growled, as the woman squeezed her throat and she felt her air supply being cut off.

"Why do you want to camp here? Think this is a good place to escape? Do you think you can slip away from us here?" She asked.

Chloe shook her head and the Kommissar let her go. She gasped, her hand flying up to massage her sore neck.

"No, we are just tired. Eventually one of us, is going to pass out anyway." She said and moved to help Beca up.

"Kommissar, I don't think we should stop yet." Travis said.

Kommissar nodded her agreement. "Neither do I. We keep going." She glared at Chloe. "You, walk with me." She said taking Chloe's arm and pulling her away from Beca.

"Travis, keep her with you." She said and the man grabbed Beca's arm, pulling her with him. Now, they were separated by the other two men.

Beca closed her eyes for a second. If Chloe had a plan, and she assumed she did. She wouldn't know about it. She wouldn't know what to do, or when. She looked up at the man who had her arm.

She wondered if she could break his arm. She wondered if she could create a distraction. Something long enough to keep Kommissars attention on her, so Chloe could do what she needed. Then again, she didn't know what Chloe needed. And she didn't know if that would help, or make it worse.

They walked through the town and back into the woods. It had been nearly forty five minutes and Beca was restless. This man still had her arm. Kommissar hadn't let Chloe go either.

What were they going to do?

XXXXXX

"Stacie, they saw us." Jesse said. "They must know they are being followed. They shot at us."

"They don't know anything. If they thought they were being followed, they would have come for us already." She said as the left the town and slipped into the trees once more.

"Stacie, we need to make our move. Something. Anything. We need to try." Aubrey said. "They have them separated now, something must have happened. They keep making Chloe drink from that bottle, and they haven't had any food or water since yesterday. We need to do something."

Stacie nodded, "I know. I just-"

"You're scared." She said. "You're scared of what could happen. You're scared for them, and you're scared for you."

Aubrey said. Jesse looked at them. Seeing the shame cloud Stacies eyes.

"They hurt you. And I understand your fear. Not fully, but I get the picture." She said and stopped them, taking Stacies hands. "Stacie, I won't let them take you. I won't let them hurt you. We get our friends back, and we kill them. Then we leave." She said.

Stacie looked down, a tear escaping her eye and slipping down her cheek.

Aubrey lifted her hand, swiping it away. "You're safe with me." Aubrey said lifting her chin to look at her. "I promise,"

Jesse looked down. "I won't let them hurt you either," he said, and they looked at him. "Either of you."

Stacie smiled lightly. She believed them. She trusted them and they trusted her. This was her family now. And the people who broke her, had part of her family. She looked in the direction they were headed.

"We make our move tonight," she said.

XXXXXX

Beca looked to see Kommissar and Chloe were in some kind of heated argument. She was quite a ways behind and couldn't make out what they were saying, but she watched as the woman gave Chloe's arm a rough shake and Chloe stumbled slightly.

Her blood boiled and she looked at the man holding her. He looked straight ahead, his face blank.

She looked back at them, to see Chloe try to pull her arm free only to be yanked back towards Kommissar. She didn't know what Chloe was doing, or what Kommissar might have done, but she made a split second decision.

She had heard what Chloe said, about one of them passing out soon. She closed her eyes and took a breath before opening them, and slowing her steps. He felt the resistance on her arm and pulled her forward again. She swayed slightly and he looked at her.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" He asked gruffly as she let her head fall forward slightly as if she were dizzy and he grabbed her face, stopping them, and pulling it up to look at him. She let her eyes flutter closed and he slapped her lightly a few times, trying to wake her up.

She felt her stomach twist nervously, before buckling her knees and she fell. Luckily, he caught her and lowered her to the ground, laying her on her back.

"Kommissar!" He called to the woman a few yards ahead. They turned and Chloe's eyes grew when she saw Beca on the ground.

"What did you do?!" She screamed yanking out of Kommissars grasp. The woman had loosened her grip when they turned and watched as she ran to Beca. Throwing her hands up in annoyance.

The other two men walked over as Kommissar took her time. Chloe dropped beside her and moved her hair out of her face.

"What did you do?" She demanded.

"Nothing, she just passed out." He said looking up at Kommissar.

"For fucks sake,"

"I told you, she needed food and rest, now what?" She asked.

With a roll of her eyes, Kommissar turned. "Make camp here." She said. "Chloe, come with me."

"Im not leaving her-"

"Yes you are!" Kommissar yelled. "Now do as you're told!"

One of the other men lifted her off the ground and shoved her toward the woman. She glared as her arm was once again in her vice grip and she was pulled away.

Travis watched them go, as the other two began unpacking the tents. He looked down at Beca and shook his head. Then bent down and picked her up, lifting her bridal style in his arms and walking the other direction to lay her down out of the way.

It was when they were a few yards away from the men, and even further from Kommissar, as she had walked away with Chloe that Beca opened her eyes.

She took a breath and lunged forward, sinking her teeth into his neck and he dropped her. She hit the ground, and only stayed there for a second, before using his pain as an advantage and delivered a hard kick to the side of his head. He fell hard and she moved over him, her eyes darting up to see the others not to far away, their view obstructed by the tents. She looked down at him, and glared, before grabbing his head in her hands and quickly snapping his neck to the side, before wiping the blood from her lips. Her glare locking on the rest of the people in the camp.

XXXXXX

Stacie couldn't believe what she had just seen. Beca, took down a guy twice her size. Snapping his neck like it was nothing but a rotting stick.

"It's time." Jesse said, his eyes locked on her. He pulled out his gun and Aubrey and Stacie did as well.

"Don't go for Beca, we have three more to take out. Get to them, before she does." Stacie said and they nodded as they followed her toward the others.

Kommissar had Chloe pinned against a tree. She had enough of her smart mouth, of her not listening. Chloe still showed no fear. She just glared at the woman as she trapped her against the rough bark of the old tree.

She pulled out her knife. Intending to use it to show Chloe what happens when she doesn't listen. She had barely lifted the blade, letting the sharp edge slice into her cheek just below the corner of her eye when something whizzed passed them and someone shouted behind her.

"Kommissar!" She looked behind her, giving Chloe time to grab the knife and swipe it across her cheek. The woman cried out as Chloe shoved passed her and ran.

"Beca!" She screamed before she was hit from the side. She grabbed the person who hit her to find a wild eyed Beca, panting and pulling her away.

"What did you do?" Chloe asked, seeing blood on her chin as she followed her and they ran as fast as they could into the trees, back towards the town.

They ran fast, their feet hitting the forest floor with hard thuds. Their breath coming out in sharp gasps, as their injuries made themselves known. They ran as fast as they could, as far as they could. They could hear gunshots behind them, and this only made them run faster.

They had made it at least half a mile before Chloe grabbed Beca and pulled them to a stop. "Beca..." she panted trying to breathe, "What...did you...do?"

Beca looked at her, her eyes full of pain as she clutched her side. "I killed him." She gasped. "Come on, we have to get back to the town. We have to hide."

Chloe nodded, following after her. She wanted to know more, she wanted to know how she did it, and if he was truly dead. What about the other two? She hadn't even seen them when she ran. She still had the knife in her hand, coated in Kommissars blood.

XXXXXX

They had barely seen the blonde raise her knife to Chloe's face before Stacie shot her arrow and it hit the tree beside the woman. She missed on purpose. She wanted to create a diversion. She was afraid if she shot the Kommissar from where she stood, it would hit Chloe too. Someone shouted and Chloe had attacked so quickly that no one realized she had escaped the woman's grasp until they were both gone. Aubrey shot one of the men, hitting him in the face and he fell face down into the leaves. Kommissar and the other man, the only one that hadn't been hit dove behind a tree and they exchanged fire.

Meanwhile, Beca and Chloe were running faster than they had ever run before. The opposite direction they had originally been heading.

"We are running low on ammo. We need to pull back." Jesse said. "They aren't here, they ran." He called over the shots.

Stacie nodded as she loaded her bow again. "Follow after them, both of you. I'll stay and finish them off." She said as a bullet hit the tree she was behind, spraying bark in her face.

"I'm not leaving you," Aubrey said and Stacie shook her head, "I'll catch up. Go, hurry before they get to far." She said.

Aubrey looked from Stacie across the way to where they were being shot from.

"You better find us." She warned, "I swear Stacie, if you get yourself killed I'll be super pissed." She said and Stacie smirked at her.

"Not in my plans, now go, hurry." She said and Jesse took her arm giving her a small tug. Aubrey felt her eyes well up with tears as they moved away from her, heading in the direction they hoped Beca and Chloe ran. Not knowing if they would ever see her again. If she would ever see her again.

Kommissar was breathing hard, her cheek bleeding and her eyes in a menacing glare. She looked to see Jesse and Aubrey slipping off the other way. She turned to the other man.

"You bring me that one." She nodded toward Stacie. "Alive." She growled as she moved away from the tree, following after Aubrey and Jesse.


	26. Shiver

Chloe stopped running, practically falling against a tree, her breathing coming out in harsh wheezing gasps.

"I can't...I can't run anymore." She said, her face twisted in pain as she felt numerous parts of her body, inside and out screaming at her to stop.

Beca stopped as well several feet in front of her. "Chlo, we have to, we have to keep going." She said.

Chloe shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "I can't, please," she cried as she lowered herself to the ground. A painful sounding cough erupted from her chest and she had trouble controlling it.

Beca watched in worry. "We have been running for so long, we haven't heard anything, I think we are okay." She said.

Beca shook her head. "No, we aren't okay. Not out in the open like this." She said walking over and reaching her hand out. "Come on, a little further."

Chloe looked up at her, she knew Beca wasn't trying to tell her what to do, nor was she ignoring Chloe's pain. She knew Beca just wanted them safe. She nodded and reached up, taking her hand and Beca pulled her to her feet.

"We can take it slow for a bit." She said. "What's hurting you?"

Chloe smiled gratefully as Beca slipped her arm around her waist. Helping her walk as her legs shook and wobbled beneath her.

"Everything, I can't pin point a certain area, just everything hurts."

Beca nodded. She understood, she felt the same. Her body ached. She wished for nothing more than a cold dip in the lake. Floating freely. The water taking the pain away.

"Let's get back to the town, we aren't far off. We will hide there, rest, and figure out our next move." Beca said.

Chloe nodded. "Beca, the town. It's..." she trailed off and Beca looked at her, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"It's the town you and I found." Beca said softly. "We can hide there, hopefully, where they can't find us."

Chloe looked ahead of them. It was dark now, the only light they had guiding them was that of the moon shining through the trees. They might have a chance.

XXXXXX

Kommissar kept her eyes ahead of her. She knew she couldn't be too far behind them. And when she caught them, she would make sure they knew exactly how stupid, running away from her was. She went over all of the ways she could make them sorry for taking off. The further she ran, the angrier she got. Her anger was something she was never able to manage in a healthy way.

For as long as she could remember, she had issues with it. Kicked out of primary school. Then elementary. Homeschooled by the time she was eleven years old. No school would take a child that would punch another student over something as small as a prettier sticker on her homework stating she got a good grade.

Her parents didn't have the time or motivation to get her the proper help she needed. She barley knew them at all. They worked constantly. She was left to her own devices from a very early age. Her brother, born when she was just four years old, was in the same boat she was. He however, made the mistake of taking his anger out on a neighbor girl when he was six. Landing her in the hospital with a brain bleed. Her parents sent him away, not thinking twice about it. The older she got, the worse it got. She saw a counselor for a few weeks when she was a child.

Not one her parents took the time to find, but one the school had sent her too, during the time she would be at recess. Over the few visits, the councilor had spoken of something called reactive attachment disorder. She had been neglected in her early stages. Her parents didn't want the baby. They bought what was necessary. Fed, changed, and bathed her. But other than that. She was nothing but a loud messy burden to them. When she was nearly two they hired a nanny, who spoke little English. She cared for her, as much as the small child would allow. She was violent even as a toddler. She had no remorse. No love in her heart, and refused to accept the help of anyone. She was a damaged soul.

She left the night before her eighteenth birthday. Took her parents credit cards, and fled the state. She found her then fourteen year old brother, she knew he was in a home for troubled boys. It didn't take much to get him out and they left together. Three years later, the end of the world happened. And Kommissar found it was the best possible thing to happen to her. Her anger, made her powerful. Her ruthlessness cause others to fear, and respect her. She felt nothing the first time she killed a person. Not a creature. A person.

The group of people that followed her, did so because they knew she could keep them alive. They also knew she could kill them just as quickly. But, if they pleased her, they were useful. She got what she wanted. Her brother, was the same way. The only person she had any kind of feeling towards. Her brother was apart of her, the only other person who understood what she was feeling, or what she wasn't feeling.

She wanted Stacie. She didn't know why. She was drawn to the girl, and after a while, she had put just a little too much trust into her. She should have known better. She made a huge mistake. She took the only thing that mattered to her. She took her brothers life. And she was going to pay for it.

These girls. Beca and Chloe, she wanted nothing more than to tie them to a tree and beat them until they stopped breathing. The redhead had an attitude. One she didn't approve of. The other girl, while quiet, was a nuisance. They had a deal. One that was not easy for her to make.

A deal that they broke, and now she would have to show them what happens when someone defies her.

She heard branches breaking and she stopped. Her breath coming out in short gasps. White puffs of air in front of her face, tell her how cold it's gotten. She hadn't noticed, as she ran through the woods. Her adrenaline keeping her warm.

She listened carefully, looking the opposite direction the sound came from, so she could focus on it. A smirk appeared on her lips, more branches breaking. She brought her hand up to wipe the sweat on her brow before heading towards the sound.

XXXXXX

Stacie waited out the gunfire. She knew he had to run out of ammo at some point. And when they did, that's when she would strike. She saw Kommissar follow after Jesse and Aubrey. She hoped they could lose her, and find Beca and Chloe. She hoped they found them before Kommissar found any of them. She wondered if she knew it was her. She wasn't sure that she had seen her.

It seemed to take a life time, before she heard the familiar click, telling her his gun was empty. A hushed curse split through the suddenly silent air and she closed her eyes, taking a breath. It was now or never.

She readied her bow, and opened her eyes. Then, stepped out from behind the tree.

She had barely aimed her weapon, before she realized the black mass coming at her. She had no time to react before she was pistol whipped and she stumbled, still keeping a hold on her bow.

She could feel the warm sticky liquid seeping out of the new cut on her cheek. A growl erupted from her throat as she regained her balance and dodged the next blow.

"Give it up Stacie." A rough voice spoke. "She wants you back, and she will have you. That, or those girls die. And you know she will do it." It growled and she took a breath, aiming the bow once more.

"Shoot me. It doesn't matter. Either way, she is going to kill you. Or them. Maybe both." He said.

She glared through the darkness unable to make out the mans face. "Or you could be a man and help me. You have to know how wrong this is. You have to have some kind of heart."

"Not in this world." He said.

It was then a branch snapped to their right and the man took his eyes off Stacie in time to see not one, but several dark figures moving toward them.

Creatures. Fuck, the gunfire. Stacie stepped away, keeping her bow aimed as she moved away from the man as well as the hoard heading her way.

This was her chance. She could shoot him, and the hoard would be too busy with him to even know she was there anymore.

She took a breath. He was moving away from them as well.

"What are you wanting for? Shoot them." He said.

"Why waste multiple arrows, on them, when I can spare one, on you." She said pointing at him. His eyes widened, and his hands flew up.

"They wouldn't care about me, they'd have you." She said.

"Shoot me in the head." He rushed out. "Please," he said looking almost nervous as the hoard got closer. His earlier attitude seemed to disappear as the knowledge of being torn apart by the creatures seeped in." If I'm going to die this way, please, shoot me in the head. I don't want to feel it."

Stacie looked at him. "Why should I? Why shouldn't you suffer? You are a sorry excuse for a human."

"I never hurt you," he said hurriedly. "Or those girls. I never hurt them, or you."

Stacie looked at him. "If I let you live, you owe me your life." She said. "You will give your life for me."

He looked at her in confusion. He didn't want to die. Not like this, but he knew she wouldn't have mercy on him. Not after what he had helped the Kommissar do.

"Okay?" He said.

"You'll kill Kommissar." She said. "We will go to her together, and you will kill her. And if she has so much as touched any of my friends, you die too."

"I have nothing to live for." He said, "Why should I do this?"

She lifted the now and shot. The arrow whistled through the air and barley sliced through the side of his arm. He grabbed it, screaming in pain as the blood poured out.

She then turned and heading in the direction her friends went.

"No wait!" He called and hurried after her as the hoard was nearly touching them. "I'll do it." He said. "Please, I'll do it. I don't want to die. Not like this."

She stopped and hooked her bow across her back then grabbed her knife from the sleeve on her thigh. "Lead the way." She said. "One wrong move, and I'll slit your throat."

He nodded once, glancing at the creature just feet away before hurrying ahead of her. She looked at them and let out a breath before following after him. It didn't take long to lose them.

XXXXXX

Chloe almost cried in relief, when they stumbled out of the woods and onto the dark black pavement of the road. They made it back to the town, the town they had found themselves what seemed a lifetime ago.

"We have to hide. Wait it out." Beca said looking around.

"The pawn shop." Chloe said. "The basement, where we fell. We can hide there. Remember the door was covered by plywood. They probably wouldn't even look past the hole I made."

Beca smiled. "Perfect." She said as they made their way through the dark, quiet, completely deserted town.

"Do you think it's weird, we haven't come across any of them?" Chloe asked.

Beca looked around, as if her mentioning it, might jinx it and a hoard would appear. "I think we are lucky." She said. Chloe stayed alert as the made their way through the small town, in search of the pawn shop. She could feel Chloe shivering against her, and the way Chloe's body would tense up as she tried to suppress her cough.

"Let it out, Chloe." She said after watching Chloe struggle to contain her cough for the third time.

The girl looked at her gratefully. "It's the cold air. When I breathe too deeply it triggers it." She said.

"Don't hold it in." Beca said.

"I don't want them to find us." Chloe said quietly.

"Doesn't it hurt?" Beca asked. "Holding them in?"

Chloe shrugged. "I can manage." She said. "I just have to control my breathing."

Beca sighed. She hated knowing Chloe was sick, and they and nothing to help her. She hated even more, knowing that she couldn't even cough, because she feared it would get them caught. She knew how painful it was, to suppress a bad cough. She had been sick before, and she thought stopping the cough would feel better. She was wrong. Chloe's injuries probably didn't help either.

She was broken from her thoughts when Chloe pointed, "Look, there it is," she said and Beca could hear the exhaustion seeping into her voice.

"Come on, let's get you warm." She said, guiding them to the old building. She carefully navigated them in, and around the hole in the floor. She felt Chloe wince, and she guessed she was remembering the fall she took. It was tricky, trying to get through in the dark, but eventually Beca found the entrance to the basement.

She went down first, holding onto Chloe's hand and wrapping her arm around her waist once they reached the bottom.

"Where should we go. It's flooded over there." Chloe said looking towards the spot she had been trapped.

"There is a little storage room, this way. It's where I found the box of stuff." Beca said. "The door is kind of hidden, we can barricade ourselves in. It's dry." She said leading Chloe to the room.

She was right, the door was nearly impossible to spot from where they stood. Once they were inside, Beca closed the door and the were in total darkness.

"Come here." She said carefully guiding Chloe to lean against her, and they slid down the wall, to the floor. Chloe had begun to shiver even more and Beca tried to keep her warm by holding her close and rubbing her hand up and down her arms.

Chloe muffled a cough with her hand and Beca winced as it caused both of their body's to jerk. She reached her hand up and laid it on Chloe's head, laying it down on her chest. "Let it out Chlo. I've got you." She tried to soothe her. After a particularly violent cough attack ended, and Chloe whimpered, her breath hitting Beca's neck the smaller girl sighed.

"Take your shirt off." She said nudging Chloe off of her. The redhead froze.

"What?" She asked and Beca could feel her pulling away from her. She gently grabbed her hand.

"It's too cold, Chlo, we have to combine our body heat. I'll take mine off too. You can trust me." She said and blindly reached up, her fingertips barley brushing against Chloe's chin and the old girl leaned into the touch. "I won't hurt you. I just want to keep you warm."

Chloe felt her chest fill with the warmth they needed on the outside. Beca had been a fearless, girl that hadn't spoken a single syllable until just days before. Someone Chloe feared to an extent. Now, as she spoke gentle words, and was even more gentle with her touch, Chloe wondered how she could have ever felt anything but safe with the girl. She was kind, and loving. She was still a little scary, and Chloe knew it was something this world taught her to be. But she also knew, Beca would never hurt her. She had no reason to not trust her. She was falling for this girl, fast, and though she knew it was a dangerous time to develop feelings. She couldn't help it. And she didn't want too.

It was silent for a moment, then Beca could hear the slight rustle of fabric and she knew Chloe had taken off her shirt. She did the same and reached out, until she found Chloe's then using both shirts she formed a small pillow and laid down, pulling Chloe with her.

Though it was freezing, and they were both shivering, their skin was hot. Beca lay down on her back, and pulled Chloe so she was pressed against her, nearly on top of her, their skin flush together. Their legs tangled as Chloe wrapped her arm around Beca's mid section.

She felt Chloe's breath hitch and her arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close as Chloe nuzzled her face into Beca's neck. It wasn't long before the shivering stopped and they lay completely still, in the darkness. Their combined body heat keeping them warm. Beca's hand found Chloe's hair and she combed her fingers through it, feeling how Chloe's body practically melted into hers.

"Try to sleep." Beca said. "It's going to be a long night."

"What about you?" Chloe whispered.

"I'll try too. I think we are safe here, for now. We will wait for a while, then move."

She felt Chloe nod against her and her eyes closed.

"Thank you Beca."

She smiled lightly. "Anytime." She said. She felt Chloe shift slightly and her eyes shot open when she felt a soft pair of lips against the side of her neck. She felt her body heat up as Chloe got comfortable against her.

She relaxed again, her fingers continuing to comb through red curls. The kiss was soft, and warm and chaste. And she knew it was another way Chloe was saying thank you. Closing her eyes again, she hoped it wasn't the last thank you kiss she received from Chloe.

A/N: I had more planned for the scene with Beca and Chloe in the basement, but I have work in the morning, and I wanted to get this up. It's over 3,000 words, so I don't feel too bad. This way, basically the majority of the next chapter is going to be centered around Beca and Chloe hiding out in the basement. Please Review and thank you for reading!


	27. Child's play

Beca's eyes shot open, though her body stayed perfectly still. She could still feel the warmth of Chloe laying against her, and her shallow breath hitting her neck. Her heart was pounding almost painfully in her chest and it felt like she had lost her breath, though she was doing nothing strenuous.

Something had woken her, and she peered through the darkness. She had no idea what time it might be, the sun had no way of entering the small room they were hiding in. She listened but heard nothing.

After a few moments, of listening intently, trying to steady her breathing, and her racing heart, she began to relax.

She was wide awake now, but let her eyes fall shut, as she tightened her arm around Chloe and tried to relax further.

It was then she felt Chloe's body jolt; a harsh cough echoing in the room, and Chloe sat upright.

Beca's eyes flew open once more as she heard the floor shift above them and she slapped her hand over Chloe's mouth and yanked her back towards her. Chloe stiffened and a whimper made its way through Beca's hand. She felt Chloe's cold hand reach up to grab her hand and she realized she was probably a little rough.

"Shh," she let Chloe go and the girl shifted slightly away from her. If Beca felt it, she didn't say anything as she carefully stood up, her eyes pointed at the ceiling. Whatever had moved above them, was still moving.

She felt her heart hammering in her chest and she blindly reached down, grabbing their shirts, not knowing who's was who's as she pushed one into Chloe's hands. If they had been found, she didn't want to be so exposed. She didn't want Chloe exposed. Chloe took it, her hands shaking as she too could hear the floor creaking above them. She pulled the shirt over her head, and lifted her arms, trying to find Beca.

Once her hand made contact with her arm, she grabbed on.

"Beca..." she whispered.

"Stay quiet," Beca whispered back, though she grabbed Chloe's hand and held it tightly.

They could hear the steps moving, they were heavy, and moving toward the front of the shop. After a second, they stopped. They both held their breath, hoping whatever, or whoever it was, had left.

Chloe had barely relaxed her death grip on Beca before they heard a crack and then splash. Whatever it was, it fell through the hole Chloe had made.

Chloe jumped back, releasing Beca's arm and her back hit the wall. She pressed herself against it, her eyes wide.

Beca herself stiffened, and stepped towards the door, her hand grabbing the knob and her body pressing into it. She wasn't very big, and she had multiple injuries all over her body, but she would every ounce of strength she had to keep the door closed if it came to it.

She could hear whatever it was, shuffle through the water. Chloe's ragged breaths seemed so loud in the small space they were in and she wanted to hush her, but she knew in reality it wasn't that loud. She also knew Chloe couldn't help it, and telling her to stop was unreasonable. More than anything, she wanted to comfort her, she just didn't know what to do. This just added to her growing frustration with the whole situation.

She listened as closely as she could, trying to figure out of it was a person or a creature outside the door. After a few moments, she heard a grunt and her eyes closed. It was moving slowly, aimlessly. It was a creature.

She stood back from the door. "Chlo?" She whispered and moved to where they had been sitting. Knowing a creature could t open the door

Her hand reached out, and she felt Chloe flinch when she touched her arm.

"It's just a creature." She said, squeezing her arm. She could feel Chloe trembling and she knew she was partly to blame for it. She stepped closer, into Chloe's space and gently wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm sorry." She said hesitantly. "Did I hurt you?" She asked pulling back slightly to run her fingers down her jaw to her chin.

She felt Chloe shake her head and sighed slightly when she leaned into her hand. "Just startled me." She whispered back, her arms coming up to circle around her.

"What should we do? About the creature?" Chloe asked. "I'm sure that racket attracted more of them, it's probably only a matter of time before more come, and fall in. Then we will never get out." She said.

Beca was quiet for a few moments, before she stepped back. "I have an idea."

XXXXXX

Aubrey knelt down beside an old broken down car, her eyes narrowed.

"How are we sure they stopped here? That woman wasn't far behind us." She said as she looked around nervously. The sun was up and they had stopped when they reached the town, a few hours before. Hiding out in a car until dawn

They had stopped for a short rest, and to wait for light butJesse didn't want to move on.

"We aren't sure, I just feel like Beca would have found a place here to rest. There are hundreds of places to hide in a town, even as small as this one." Jesse said as he looked around at the broken, empty buildings. "I know Beca."

Aubrey looked as well, trying to decide if he was right. Or if they should keep moving. He knew Beca better than she did, but Chloe was with Beca and Chloe wouldn't have stopped if she could help it. She would keep going, putting distance between herself and whatever she was running from.

She felt the anger rising as she tried to figure out where they could be. Either she was right, and they kept running, or Jesse was right and they were in this town, hiding, waiting it out. She didn't know, and it frustrated her. Jesse seemed to been in the same predicament. Neither of them heard the nearly silent steps approaching. They had no idea they had been found, until the shadow fell over them.

By then, it was too late, and Jesse flipped around in time to see Aubrey hit the ground with a hard thud, and fall still.

"I assume we are looking for the same people." Jesse looked at the woman with wide eyes. "So why don't we help each other out?"

XXXXXX

"Are you cold?"

Chloe shook her head before realizing Beca couldn't see her.

"No, I'm okay."

"Chloe, I can hear your teeth chattering." Beca said, and Chloe chuckled.

"Okay, I'm a little cold." She admitted.

"Come here then." She said and Chloe instantly shuffled closer to her. Pressing into her side. She smiled when Beca wrapped an arm around her. She liked the almost casual tone of Beca's voice as if they were simply hanging out. How she so easily opened her arms for Chloe to fall into her. Something she hadn't thought would be possible just a few weeks earlier. She underestimated Beca.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me,"

They were quiet for a while, before Chloe spoke again. "Is it strange?"

"Hm?" Beca said, absentmindedly running her fingers up and down Chloe's arm.

"Talking again." She said. "Is it strange?"

"Yeah, it is. It's easier I guess. But, I had gotten used to not speaking." She said quietly.

Chloe nodded. "I'm sorry, by the way. For what happened to you."

She felt Beca shift slightly. "Nothing happened to me." She said. "I'm the one who..." she trailed off. "I'm the one that killed them." Chloe could hear the change in her tone. From almost relaxed, to tense and uncomfortable.

Chloe shifted a little so she was level with Beca. "Beca, you did what you had to do to survive. Those kids, they...they weren't kids anymore, not really. They had already died. But not by your hand. You just put them out of their misery. If anything, you helped them. I can't imagine being like that is comfortable." She said. "I mean, I don't know obviously, but, if I ever became one..."

Beca tilted her head slightly as she listened. "I'd want to be put out of my misery. I wouldn't want to become that."

Beca nodded. "Neither would I."

Chloe smiled softly though she knew it was left unseen. "I wish you never had to do it. I know it's easy to say it was the right thing, the only option. But I know you still hurt over it."

"You're right though. They were dead already." She said though her tone hadn't changed.

"Beca," she said carefully. "Did Jesse tell the truth? About what happened between the two of you? I've heard his version, of what he did. But, not yours."

This time Beca's body fully tensed and she sat up straighter. She knew she had hit a nerve.

"I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just worried." She could feel the panic rising in her chest.

"You don't need to worry." Beca said. "What happened has been dealt with. It's in the past, where it belongs, where you need to leave it. It's none of your business anyway." She snapped.

Chloe nodded quickly, Beca's words stung and she wanted to backtrack. But she knew she couldn't." I know, I'm sorry," she said and Beca felt her scoot away from her. Not knowing what else to do, she distanced herself, leaving the warmth of Beca's embrace.

Silence fell between them. Beca brought her knees up to her chest, when Chloe moved away. She didn't want to talk about what happened that night. She didn't want to talk about it the first time, or this time. She knew Chloe was just worried, but she didn't need to be and she really wanted it left alone.

They were trapped in this room, in a broken down building, and her hopes of surviving were simmering out. She was cold, hungry and frustrated, and she was taking it out on the only person around. The one person who didn't deserve it.

She felt guilt settle in her stomach. She hadn't meant to snap at Chloe, and she didn't want her to move away. But she had pushed her too.

"I'm sorry, Beca. I won't bring it up again." Came a small voice sometime later. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Chloe's voice was small and uneven and she turned her head to face where She was sitting.

"Chloe?" Her voice was much softer.

"If I don't bring it up anymore, can I sit beside you again?"

Beca felt her heart plummet into her stomach. She didn't realize how her lack of patients might effect Chloe. Chloe, who had her own issues, her own insecurities that had been brought on by this new world. She hadn't thought about what living with Luke might have done to her. How her losing her patients might actually scare the other girl.

It showed now though. And Beca wanted to kick herself for making Chloe feel like she needed to be careful around her. She felt tears flood her eyes.

"Chloe, I'm sorry." She said reaching out and grabbing the first thing she touched. It was Chloe's wrist and she pulled her towards her, dropping her legs so she could pull her close.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you, I didn't mean it." She said and she could feel her arms wrap around her tightly. She closed her eyes, feeling Chloe shaking against her. She was freezing.

"I'm so sorry." She said. "You didn't deserve that, Ill never do it again, I promise."

Chloe buried her face into her neck. "I don't want you to get annoyed with me. I know I ask a lot of questions. I know I shouldn't. I just like the sound of your voice." She said. "I want to know you, and for you to know you can talk to me, about anything."

Beca squeezed her eyes closed. Nothing ever worked out in her favor. She messed this one up and had no one to blame but herself.

"You don't annoy me. Not at all. I'm sorry I made you think that. Please don't stop asking me questions. I swear I won't get angry again."

She felt Chloe nod against her chest. "I understand. I know it's a sore subject." She said. "Are we okay?"

"Of course we are. I'm really sorry I got upset, Chlo." She said pulling her closer.

They sat for a while longer. Their breathing syncing as Chloe relaxed against her.

"He told the truth, pretty much." Beca said after a while.

Chloe didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt, knowing this wasn't easy for Beca. She wanted to tell her that she really didn't have to tell her. But. She didn't want to suddenly change her mind when Beca got the nerve to discuss something so sensitive.

"He wanted to talk, and he wanted me to drink more so that I would. He told the truth about that. He threw things at me. Things off the shelves." She said.

"Beca you don't have too-" she spoke, hearing the crack in Beca's voice. She didn't want her to have to relive it.

"It's okay." She said quickly. "He uh- he did hit me. He remembers hitting me once. But, it was actually twice. Once in the beginning, and again right before her slammed me into the wall. I don't want him to know about it though. I don't want him to hate himself even more. Because I don't hate him. What he did was wrong, and he shouldn't have done it. But it's done now. He knows if it ever happens again I'll kill him." She said.

"What was going through your head?" Chloe asked softly.

Beca chuckled. "At first, I just remembered how we would play fight all the time growing up. How I would always pin him, right before he flipped it. He always won. It was after the first hit, that I stopped comparing our childhood games to the reality of the situation. When I realized it wasn't play." She said.

"I was scared. I thought he was going to kill me. I guess he just blacked out. That's why he doesn't remember hitting me again. He remembers slamming me into the wall, and us fighting off the hoard. It took a while for it all to come back to him."

Chloe felt her face grow hot. "I was scared of him for a long time after." She said. "But he was always there. Since we were kids. He has always been there."

She was quiet for a moment. "The fear went away, and we went back to normal. Aside from not talking anyway. He learned to communicate with me without words."

"You're strong Beca." Chloe said. "You know that right?"

"I have to be." She said. "In this world, I have no other choice."

Chloe wished she could see the other girl, wished she could look into her eyes and tell her that it wasn't true. She didn't always have to be strong. She was allowed to have weak moments. She was allowed to break down. It was healthy and it was necessary, sometimes. But she couldn't see her, and she couldn't find the right words. So instead, she cuddled into her further. Squeezed her a little tighter.

"You have me. I'm another choice. I can be your strength." She whispered after a while. She smiled lightly as Beca nuzzled into her hair.

Xxx

Sometime later, they could hear the floor creaking again and not long after, another splash. Then another.

Beca felt her heart begin to race. She felt as though she had only just got it to return to normal.

"There are three now. That's enough." She said and sat up. "It's time."

A/N: so I was feeling angsty I guess. That's where I am assuming the bechloe angst came from in this. I hope you all liked it anyway. I was planning on writing more, but then I thought if I don't post now, I won't post this week. So here you go! Pleas please please review?


	28. Lost and found

A/N: WARNING. GORE. Also, very short chapter. This story is actually coming to its end! Sorry for any mistakes or if you just don't like it. More to come, I just wanted to get something up since I'm going to be busy all weekend! Please review!

"Beca, no."

Beca felt Chloe's strong grip on her arm tugging her back.

"Chlo, we have too. This is our chance, we can't stay down here forever. You are sick, we need to get you warm."

She explained, trying to comfort as well as convince the girl that this was what had to be done.

"I'm scared." She said quickly when she felt Beca reach for the door again.

She stepped back, as she felt Beca turn her body. She wished she could see her through the dark. Instead she felt two hands gently search out her face before cupping both her cheeks.

"So am I. But I'm more afraid of what's going to happen if we don't get out of this room."

Chloe took a breath. "What if you get bit?" Chloe asked. "What if I do? What's going to happen to us?"

Beca let out a breath. "If I get bit, you kill me. Don't let me become one of them."

Chloe felt the tears in steady streams down her cheeks. "Me too." She said. "Kill me. I don't want to be a monster." She said, her voice breaking and Beca felt her heart ache for her.

"It's not going to happen, Chlo. We will get out of here, I'm certain my plan will work. I mean, maybe they aren't even still around. Maybe they moved could have gone back to the school for all we know."

Chloe nodded, and Beca let her face go. "We can do this."

"Okay," Chloe whispered. "I trust you."

Beca nodded as well, blowing out a breath and turning back towards the door.

"Now or never." She said, and pushed it open, filling the black room with light.

XXXXXX

"You are crazy."

A clipped laugh cut through the air. "Yeah, that's obvious."

"I swear to god, if you hurt them,"

"Oh my god, please don't for a second assume I didn't. That would waste both our time. I did. I hurt them, both. Pretty badly." Komissar said. "And I'll do it again."

Jesse glared. "Look at her." She pointed to Aubrey, who sat quietly against the passenger door of the car they had been hiding behind. She woke up, her head feeling like it might explode. Her hands were coated in her own blood and she stayed silent. Not wanting to say anything to upset the woman.

Jesse didn't seem to feel the same, though he looked at Aubrey. "How about this." Komissar said and grabbed a handful of Aubrey's shirt, yanking her to her feet.

"How about I show you?" Jesse watched as she pulled a knife from somewhere unknown and lifted it to Aubrey's throat.

"You are looking for Beca and Chloe. You know their thinking. And you are going to help me find them. I know exactly who was back there with you, I know only one who uses a bow. And she is the one I want. The one I'm looking for. She isn't going to come willingly though. I need something to trade." She said pressing the blade harder against Aubrey's neck and she cried out as the skin split. "That's you. All of you."

Jesse shook his head. "Let her go."

"Why?"

"We have no part in this!" He yelled angrily. "Whatever you have against Stacie, has nothing to do with us! With her!" He pointed at Aubrey.

"Maybe not." Kommissar said. "But like you said. I'm crazy."

He watched as her smile seemed to grow. "Killing you really wouldn't make a difference. Keeping you alive, wouldn't make a difference either. I only need you, to get her. Now you can help me. Lure her to me, or I can slowly cut her head from her shoulders, while you watch." She said and Jesse winced at the scream that left Aubrey as the blade cut deeper into her neck. Any further, and there would be no way to stop the blood.

XXXXXX

Beca blinked against the harsh light the poured into the room, blinding them. It wasn't much, just the amount that came through the hole in the floor, but it was more than they had seen for what seemed like an eternity. Their eyes more sensitive than usual.

Chloe followed after her, her eyes adjusting to the light as she moved towards the stairs. She had to find something, anything. Beca grabbed the first thing she saw, a broken piece of floorboard.

One of the creatures that was wondering around the basement, rushed at her and she only had time to swing at it, knocking it to the side. Chloe grabbed a broken piece of cinderblock and when the creature stumbled toward her, she bashed it in the head with it. When it fell, she went down with it and repeatedly smashed its head until there was nothing but blood and pieces of skull flying up into her face.

Beca swung at the other two creatures, trying to keep them away.

"Beca," Chloe said breathlessly. "I can't..." she said, her hand hovering over the dead creature.

"Do it, Chloe you have too." She said swinging again and hitting one in the chest.

Chloe looked down at the dead creature. "No, I can't." She said, tears spilling down her face. Beca let out a frustrated growl as she hit one hard in the head and it fell into the other. She hurried and dropped beside Chloe.

"I'm sorry-" Chloe started but was silenced as Beca smeared a handful of blood across her face, from her left temple to the right corner of her chin and down her neck.

She gasped, trying to keep it out of her mouth and eyes. Beca instantly covered her hands in more and ran it over Chloe's chest, and down her arms. Ignoring the way Chloe's body was trembling under her hands.

The creatures were back up and coming toward them when Chloe snapped out of her shock and grabbed the piece of wood Beca had swinging it at them as Beca continued to paint her own body with the blood of the dead one.

She coughed and felt her her stomach churn at the smell and knowledge of what she was doing but she couldn't stop.

Chloe moved back over to her, breathing hard. "Beca, look," she said and Beca looked up, panting and gagging, to see the creatures had calmed down, and were no longer trying to get to them.

"It worked." Chloe said, a disbelieving smile on her face.

Beca smiled back at her. "I told you... thank god for The Walking dead."

Chloe looked at her, "Hollywood rarely gets it right, and I have never been so grateful to know someone who watched that show."

Beca chuckled. "Are you okay?"

Chloe nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry. I won't freeze up like that again."

"I get it Chlo. You got scared, don't apologize." She said reaching out and grabbing her hand.

Chloe looked down. "I can't believe I'm covered in blood and guts and I'm smiling."

"That color red brings out your eyes." Beca joked and Chloe laughed fully.

"Oh my god."

"Okay, next step." She said looking around the room.

Chloe let out a breath and looked across the room where the hole was. Her eye caught something and she felt her heart leap.

"Oh my god." She said pulling her hand from Beca's and the brunette watched her curiously.

"What?" Beca asked as Chloe carefully made her way around the creatures. She squinted as Chloe picked something up and walked back over.

Her eyes grew. "I dropped it that day I fell through the floor." She said looking down at the pistol in her hands. She has never given it a second thought. She had been unconscious and it never crossed her mind that she had dropped it.

"This just made everything so much easier." Beca sighed.

She reached for it and had just taken it from Chloe's hands when an ear piercing scream echoed outside.

They both jumped and the creatures perked up. Beca watched them carefully for a moment, before her eyes landed on Chloe who had gone pale.

"That was Aubrey." She gasped and before Beca could stop her she was bolting up the stairs.

A/N: please review, it helps so much you guys


	29. Blood and promises

Beca barely made it up the stairs in time to grab Chloe before she ran from the store.

The older girl flipped around, her eyes frantic as she grabbed Beca's arm, trying to pull free from her grasp.

"Chloe, stop," she said hurriedly and pulled Chloe hard back towards her.

"I know that scream, it's-" Beca held up a hand and shushed her again, her eyes pleading. Thankfully, she listened.

"Chloe, you can't just run out there. Aubrey or not, something made her scream and I would bet anything, that something is Kommissar."

Chloe's eyes grew even wider if possible. "Beca, we have to help her, I don't want-"

"We will, Chloe, please breathe. We have to be smart about this." She said glancing at the busted door they entered from. "They aren't too far away, from the sound of it. We have a gun now, Kommissar doesn't know that. If it is her, we can't let her see us."

Chloe nodded. "What are we going to do?"

"Lead her here." Beca said.

"Okay, how?"

Beca looked towards the door again, then back to Chloe. "You stay here. Stay right here." She said leading her to the side of the hole, opposite the door.

Chloe looked helplessly at Beca as the other girl grabbed the piece of plywood that had been covering the basement steps. She watched as she pulled it over and carefully placed it over the hole. It didn't fully cover it, and Chloe watched as she barley let the end nearest Chloe balance on the unbroken floor. She nodded in realization.

She then stood up. "Do I have enough blood covering me?" She asked and Chloe looked her over. Her stomach turned at the sight of the girl. She was in fact covered in blood, all over her face and chest. Up and down her arms. Her curly hair fell limply over her shoulders.

"I guess so." She said. "Beca what are you going to do?"

"Just stay here. I'll be back as soon as possible. Do not leave this spot, and do not make a sound."

Chloe nodded slowly. "Why can't I go with you." She asked reaching out and taking her blood covered hand.

"Because, I need you here. You are safe here."

"What about you?" Chloe asked squeezing her hand tighter.

"I'll be okay, I promise."

Chloe looked down to see Beca handing her the gun.

"No, you need it to protect yourself." She said and pushed it back towards her.

"Not with what I have planned. I need you to take it, in case anything goes wrong." She said then moved away.

"I'll be back," she said and began moving towards her door, before Chloe could argue.

She watched the small form circle the hole and carefully and silently make her way out the door. Praying she would see her again.

XXXXXX

Stacie halted at the sound of screaming and listened carefully. She looked at the man who stopped beside her, breathing hard and looking at her, waiting for instructions.

"The moment you see that bitch, you get close enough, you take her down, or I take you down." Stacie growled and he nodded. She knew they were close, she could practically see the edge of the trees. Knowing they had be just outside it, she carefully moved across the forest floor, her steps nearly silent as she readied her bow.

She took a breath as she moved up behind a tree that bordered the forest and the road. The man did the same thing, only he was a few feet behind her. She peered around the tree and could see cars abandoned on the road and in the parking lot of some store across the street. She knew they were somewhere close and she listened for anything that might tell her where they were.

XXXXXX

"Just stop!" Jesse ordered, his voice frantic but low, so he didn't lose control completely and end up getting Aubrey killed.

Aubrey's eyes were wide, and tears fell heavily as the blood trickled down her neck and chest. The cut was deep, but not life threatening. Yet. It needed to be covered, the blood needed to stop flowing.

"Let her go, and I will take you to Stacie myself. She was with us in the woods, she is the one who stayed behind to take care of the rest of your group."

Little did he know, his voice, though low, still echoed around the empty area they were in and Stacie, as well as Beca, who was across the street and around a corner from where they stood, could hear him.

Beca stopped in her tracks at the sound of his voice. She didn't know if she would ever hear it again. If she would ever hear the sound of his constant blabbering. His endless stories, or bad jokes. She didn't know if she would ever hear the sound of his laugh again.

She felt tears begin to sting her eyes. Maybe that was how he felt, when she stopped talking.

She shook her head, clearing her mind as she neared the corner and peeked around it. She felt the air leave her lungs. They were maybe 30 yards away. Jesse had his hands raised in a calming gesture while Kommissar held Aubrey against her, a knife in her hand and Aubrey's neck was bleeding a concerning amount.

"Let her go." She heard Jesse say. She could hear him bargaining with her. She could hear him promising her that he would lead her to Stacie if she just let Aubrey go.

She glared. That wasn't his choice to make, and that wasn't a choice the Jesse she knew would ever make. He wouldn't give one good life for another. She prayed he had a plan.

She knew how obsessed this woman was with finding Stacie, and while she too had promised the girl to her, she never meant it. Not even for a minute. She would do whatever it took to keep them all out of the hands of this monster.

She needed to get her attention, she needed to get her away from her friends. She looked down at her hands and clothes. Caked in blood. She could easily walk out there as if she were simply one of them. She could try to get close enough, then she could strike. But she knew this woman was smarter than that. She would see right through the plan, or she wouldn't and she would simply shoot her.

She didn't doubt Chloe when she said she knew the scream was Aubrey's, but she hoped it wasn't. She hoped she could lure Kommissar away from whatever unlucky soul she was torturing. But now, she was quickly deflating. She couldn't just lure her away, without potentially hurting Aubrey or Jesse.

She fought with herself for what seemed like an eternity before something caught her eye. Off to the left of them, someone was coming out of the trees.

Her eyes grew. It was one of her men, and he had Stacie by the arm.

"Kommissar!" He bellowed and Beca flinched as it reverberated off the building walls. She turned to look at him, and her face twisted into a sadistic grin.

It was at that moment, the blonde in her arms collapsed and it caught her off guard. She stumbled as Aubrey fell to the ground and the man was close enough, to Kommissar that Stacie yanked free of his grasp and the taller woman stopped.

Jesse dropped down beside Aubrey, holding his hand over her neck. She was

Pale and he didn't know if she passed out because of blood loss or pain.

"What do we have here?" Kommissar asked, her smile still in place as Jesse looped his arms under Aubrey and began to pull her away. Kommissar paid no attention to him. She didn't care. What she wanted stood just feet away.

Stacie readied her bow, and watched as the woman stopped walking towards her.

"Really Stacie? If you were going to shoot me you would have done so already." She said and looked at the man. "And you. Something is off here."

"Get away from her." Stacie growled. Jesse looked up at Stacie, his hand covering the cut on Aubrey's throat.

Kommissar smiled and stepped toward Stacie again. "It's not her I want."

Beca looked between all of them helplessly before she stepped back and took a few deep breaths. She had to figure this out. Jesses life was at stake. Aubrey was unconscious. She couldn't let Chloe down, she had to get them. With one last deep breath, she headed the opposite direction, circling the building, putting her at least a full block to their left.

XXXXXX

"I fed you. Clothed you. I protected you." Kommissar listed calmly.

Stacie watched her guardedly as she stepped closer to her. She still had her weapon raised, it was loaded and ready. All she had to do was pull the trigger. Pull it, and it would all be over. She couldn't hurt her, she couldn't take her back. She couldn't hurt any of them. The threat would be dead. Sure her people might try to get revenge. But most likely not. They would probably end up killing each other trying to survive with out her. She had them all convinced they couldn't live with out her.

Her mind was going in all directions and it only stopped when she felt pressure on her bow. She blinked a few times to see Kommissar stepped right up against the sharp tip of the arrow. She was tall and it pressed right below her breast bone. Stacie could see the dark red color that seeped through her shirt and she looked up at the woman.

"Your arrow has split my skin. I bleed over the weapon you refuse to kill me with." She said. "like I said. If you were going to kill me. You would have done it already. So why don't you stop this foolish game, hand over the bow and come home. You have been missed." She smiled.

Stacie blinked again and shifted uncomfortably. It was when she let her eyes flash behind Kommissar that they landed on Aubrey. Jesse seemed to have stopped the bleeding, and was looking at her with wide eyes. He had no idea what to do, anymore than she did.

She let out a shaky breath. Why couldn't she do it? Did this woman's brainwashing work? Did she truly believe that Kommissar protected her? Cared for her? No, there is no way. All she wanted was for this woman to lay bleeding at her feet.

XXXXXX

Beca stayed low to the ground. She slipped between and around the abandoned cars. She was close. Coming up behind Aubrey and Jesse. She could see Stacie was struggling with something. Kommissar was taunting her for it and the man stood a few feet from them. He wasn't helping either of them. He just stood there. She was crouched low and very carefully came up behind Jesse.

He felt something and whipped his head around. His eyes widened even more that she would have thought possible and she threw a finger up to her lips to hush him so he didn't alert them. He nodded and looked to see Stacie was shaking her head, hopefully clearing her mind. He couldn't understand why she hadn't buried an arrow in her chest yet.

Beca motioned for Jesse to pick Aubrey up and follow her. He nodded and very carefully lifted her in his arms.

The movement caught Stacies attention, but not the other two. She watched with an emotionless expression, not wanting to give them away. She watched as Beca turned to her and motioned for her to follow them, before she picked up a half broken bottle and launched it over their heads and it shattered a few yards behind Stacie.

She then turned and ran, Jesse following after as fast as he could with Aubrey in his arms.

The shattering glass, momentarily distracted Kommissar and Stacie stepped back, using the crossbow to hit her in the face. She fell the ground with an angry groan as Stacie shot the man in the head before running after the group.

"Stacie!" Kommissar screamed as she got up. "You will be sorry you did that." Stacie heard as she caught up with them and rounded the corner.

XXXXXX

Beca lead them into the pawn shop and carefully guided them around the hole. When they walked between the shelves that Beca left Chloe behind they were met with a gun in their face.

Jesse froze and Beca calmly placed her hand on the gun and lowered it.

"Oh my god, Aubrey!" Chloe cried dropping the gun and moving passed Beca to where Jesse was laying Aubrey on the floor.

"No, no, no," Chloe said frantically as she surveyed the wound on Aubrey's neck. "What did she do to you," she whispered frantically as she pushed Aubrey's bloody hair out of her face.

"She's alive, but that woman is right behind us." Jesse said breathing heavily.

Chloe turned around. "Beca?"

She only nodded before standing up and walking back towards the door.

"Beca wait!" Jesse called, standing up but Chloe stopped him.

"She has a plan." Chloe said. "Trust her."

Jesse looked at her, and tried not to shy away. She too, was covered in blood. Under it, he could see the edges of the bruises left by the Kommissar. He knew Beca's face was in the same condition and his blood boiled. He wanted to watch her die.

XXXXXX

Beca stepped out of the building just as Kommissar rounded a corner and spotted her.

"Where is she?!" She demanded and advanced on her. Beca wouldn't lie. She was scared, and she wondered if this plan was a good one. It seemed like it, she had seen it before on tv, read about it in books. But would it be as easy as they made it look. She backed her way towards the building.

"Scared?" Kommissar taunted.

She shook her head and smirked, causing the Kommissars smile to drop instantly.

"You should be. I would have let you live. All I wanted was Stacie, but now. You all die. And I'm going to start with that red headed bitch. Nice and slow, while you watch." She growled as she reached her and instantly swung her fist out. Lucking, Beca was a great deal shorter than her and easily ducked it, throwing her own fist out and connecting with her jaw as she didn't have time to dodge it.

"Brave little troll," Kommissar growled and kicked her leg out, swooping it behind Beca's knees and she landed on her back.

She didn't have time to get up before the woman was over her, stomping down on her stomach.

She cried out, clutching her abused stomachs and rolled onto her side. Kommissar laughed. "Not so tough now, are you?" She laughed.

"They in here?" She asked pointing into the pawn shop and walking toward it. Beca whimpered and let go of her stomach, reaching out and grabbing her ankles, pulling and effectively knocking her off of her feet.

She rolled in time to dodge a kick aimed at her face and got up as quick as she could. She kicked the woman, hard in the side and felt bones crack on impact as Kommissar screamed in pain. Beca quickly moved into the pawn shop and could see three fearful faces looking at her. Chloe jumped up and rounded the hole, running to her.

"Beca?" Stacie asked as she stepped forward.

She smiled reassuringly as she started around the covered hole. Chloe had just reached her, helping support her weight around the hole.

"Beca, behind you!" Jesse yelled grabbing the gun and aimed as Beca flipped around, shoving Chloe to the ground a few feet away and Kommissar tackled her. Jesse shot and they both fell onto the plywood covering the hole. It broke instantly, as Beca had planned for it too. She didn't plan, however, to be the one that landed on it. She could hear Chloe and Stacie screaming as she landed on her back, Kommissar on top of her in the dark basement.

Everything hurt, a thousand times worse than before. She felt nauseous due to the impact, and couldn't breathe. Kommissars weight on top of her didn't help nor did the fact that the woman was cushioned by Beca's body and was now reigning blow after blow to her face.

She felt her face being whipped from left to right with every hit. The blood from her nose mixed with the blood in her mouth and she spit it out as she felt it begin to fill her throat. If she was going to die, it wasn't going to be by choking to death on her own blood.

The screaming continued, though it was fading and she could feel that at some point the blows had stopped. The weight falling off of her. But nothing aft that. Another scream echoed around her. Closer this time.

Chloe made it to the bottom of the stairs in time to see Kommissar scream as one of the creatures they trapped, bit into her shoulder from behind. She didn't even see it. It tore a chunk from her shoulder as she pushed it away, and fell off of Beca.

Beca herself wasn't moving. "Jesse! Get down here!"

The screams grew louder as the creatures tore Kommissars flesh from her body. She tried to fight them off, but it was no use. Beca's plan had worked. She fell through the hole, and they attacked her immediately. Chloe cried hard, and loud as Jesse lifted Beca off the ground and moved toward the stairs.

She wasn't supposed to fall too. She was only supposed to lure Kommissar in, so she would fall. She might have moved around the hole quicker, if she hadn't been hurt. Chloe followed Jesse up the stairs, Beca barley conscious in his arms.

Stacie sat, Aubrey's head cradled in her lap, her fingers running through bloodied hair. Her own eyes wet with tears. She rocked back and forth gently. "Is she dead?" She asked her voice cracking as she watched Beca be lowered to the ground next to Aubrey. Her face was covered in fresh blood. Her eyes closed, one swelling. The bruising becoming darker by the second.

Jesse felt the lump in his throat growing as he looked down at the two unconscious women.

Chloe moved to pull Beca into her lap. Much like Stacie. She began cleaning the blood from her face, and whispered sweet nothings to her.

Jesse crouched down, before falling back against a shelf. His eyes empty.

"No. She's not dead."

He said and Chloe looked up at him. "She didn't mean to fall through the hole too. That wasn't the plan."

Jesse nodded. "Are you guys alright here?" He asked, his voice monotone.

Chloe and Stacie exchanged glances.

"I'm going to find us a vehicle. We need to leave this town." He said pushing himself up and walking toward the door.

The screams from the basement died down as Chloe and Stacie sat, cradling and caring for the women they loved, as they lay unmoving in their laps.

"How did it get this bad?" Chloe whispered. She had finished cleaning as much of the blood as possible as she looked down at Beca bruised and cut face. "How did we get here?"

"It's all my fault."

Chloe looked up at Stacie. "If it weren't for me, she wouldn't have taken you. She wouldn't have hurt either of you, any of you. It's my fault this happened. I am how we got here." She said and Chloe could hear the guilt dripping in her voice.

"That woman was crazy and she got was she deserved. You, didn't do this. She did. To you first. You didn't deserve what she did to you, Stacie. Non of us did, but that doesn't make it your fault. This is not your fault. You did everything you could to help us."

"I froze. She could have been dead before Beca even found us out there. I had my arrow digging into her and I didn't pull the trigger. I froze. And I never got to tell her." She said cradling Aubrey's head and leaning down to place a kiss on her head. "I never got to tell her I love her.,

Chloe looked down at Beca again, the exposed, unmarked skin on her face catching her attention. It was unusually pale. More so than usual. The confession of Stacies love for Aubrey momentarily forgotten.

"Beca?" She whispered, "Stacie look at her, look how pale her skin is."

Stacie looked at her in worry. "You stopped the bleeding right?"

Chloe carefully shifted Beca off of her, so she could look her over and she stopped instantly. Her jeans were covered in blood.

"Oh my god." She hissed. "Oh, no no no," she searched Beca's body and froze. "You promised you'd be okay, Beca, you promised. You promised me."

"What is it?" Stacie asked as Chloe reached down, grabbing the buckle on Beca's belt and undid it hurriedly before yanking it from her pants and looping it around her right bicep.

"The bullet Jesse shot. It hit her. She has been bleeding out this whole time."

A/N: Dun dun DUN. Sorry for the delay guys. Life has been hectic again. Katie's seizures are getting worse, the injuries are getting worse and her insurance has officially ended. I'll try to update as much as I can! Please review?! Big chapter here, and I tried to give it what I thought it deserved. I've been working on this one for a while now, and I hope it's what you guys wanted! Yes big cliffhanger! So stick around for the next update! I'd love to hear your thoughts!


	30. Fire and water

It was the subtle vibration against her back and the harsh bump every so often that roused Beca from her unconscious state.

Her eyes opened slowly but she closed them tightly again, against the bright light that surrounded her. She groaned, feeling a sharp pain in her arm and instantly felt a hand on her cheek. It was soft and warm and she instantly nuzzled closer to it. She recognized the soft feeling, and knew instantly it was Chloe.

She could hear the soft sound of her chuckling and a thumb caressed her cheek. "You're okay, just rest."

She wanted to open her eyes again, but she knew it was going to be blinding and she already had a headache. So she listened, and let herself relax into the soft touch, and eventually fell back asleep.

Chloe smiled down at the girl. "She woke up?"

Chloe looked up to see Jesse turning to look at her. She nodded before looking back down at the girl with soft eyes.

"Yes just for a moment, but it's too bright, she couldn't keep her eyes open."

He turned back around. "I couldn't find a truck with a shell on it-"

"It's okay, Jess. This is perfect, it runs and it's getting us away." Jesse looked to his right with a grateful smile. Stacie smiled back at him from where she sat in the passenger seat. Aubrey sat in the bed of the old truck, on the other side of Beca. She could have sat up front, but Stacie knew she wanted to be close to Chloe as well as help keep the unconscious member of their group comfortable.

"She is lucky, Chlo. Her color has come back, the wound is clean and there is no sign of infection."

Chloe smiled as she moved Beca's hair back off of her face. She was lucky, the bullet that Jesse shot, was aimed for Kommissar but from his position and it being such chaos, he missed and it went straight through Beca's arm. She had lost a lot of blood, but not enough to cause to much damage. Chloe had realized in time and was able to stop the bleeding and clean it. That was nearly twelve hours ago. Jesse had returned not long after, maybe two hours, with a truck. He found it hidden under tarps and branches. Figuring someone had planned to come back for it, but never made it. He hot wired it and now they were headed back to the camp they made.

"I don't think we should stay there. It's too close. We need to move." Chloe said and looked at the back of Jesses head, hoping he wouldn't be angered by the idea. They had worked so hard for their camp.

"I agree. We will be there long enough to gather what we need and go." He said glancing back at her. She nodded, a grateful smile on her face. Aubrey felt her own lips curve into a smile and she looked down at her hands. They would be there soon, and she was planning exactly what she was going to grab, where she was going to store it and how. Stacie and Jesse were in the front quietly discussing the same thing.

Chloe sat quietly. One hand gripping one of Beca's. The other, smoothing her hair.

XXXXXX

It was dark when the truck rolled to a stop in their camp. The headlights illuminating the burned out fire. The empty couch, and the front of the nearly finished house. The house they would no longer be turning into a home.

"Okay, Chloe, stay in the truck with Beca. Stacie and Aubrey gather what you can from out here. The couch cushions, fire wood, and anything else you see. I'll go inside and grab stuff from there. Meet back here in ten minutes. I want to be on the road as soon as possible." Jesse said and they all nodded.

Chloe watched as Aubrey hopped over the tail gate and she and Stacie began gathering the wood, the cushions and the few little tools that lay around the area.

She felt Beca's hand flex in her own and looked down at her. "We will find a place better than this." She whispered. "A place far away."

She inhaled sitting back and immediately regretted it as a harsh cough erupted from her chest. She tried to muffle it, but that only made it hurt worse and brought tears to her eyes.

"Shit." She breathed once they subsided. Her eyes closed and she willed herself to not breathe to deeply. Knowing it would only make the coughing worse.

Before she knew it, Aubrey was dropping the tailgate and shoving a stack of cushions toward her. She hesitantly let Beca's hand go so she could pull them in and line them up against the back of the truck. Jesse walked up next, a box in his hands.

"I got the few things we found in the house. Honey, peaches, and some other canned food. As well as a few curtains. I had Stacie get the rods, we can use them to build a tent if we need too. I'll grab the fire wood and we will get out of here."

Chloe nodded, pulling the box towards her.

Aubrey got back in and Jesse closed the tail gate as quietly as he could as Aubrey got situated. Grabbing one of the cushions and leaning her back against it. "Chloe, do this." She said motioning to her cushion. "So you're back doesn't get stiff." Chloe reached over and grabbed one, mimicking Aubrey and leaning against it as Stacie walked up with an arm full of curtain rods. She felt her back ache immediately and she knew Aubrey was right.

Stacie slid them in as far as she could before walking around and lifting herself up on the tire behind Aubrey and kissing her cheek.

Chloe smiled and Aubrey blushed as Stacie hopped down and circled the truck getting back into the front seat.

"Have you kissed her yet?" Chloe asked quietly and Aubrey blushed an even darker shade of red.

"No, things have been a little...stressful." She scolded looking towards the front of the truck shyly.

"Well, she certainly doesn't seem to mind showing her affection in stressful situations." Chloe smiled at her best friend.

Aubrey looked up at her, her own smile on display as she glanced again at the front of the truck as Jesse turned it around and they began driving back down the dirt road.

"No, I guess she doesn't."

XXXXXX

Chloe blinked her eyes open, her brow furrowing as she woke up. Glancing to her right, she could see Beca was still sleeping. With a small smile, she sat up and looked around.

Aubrey was gone, and the truck was parked. Her eyes widened and she whipped around to see the front seat was empty too.

"Bree?" She called, her voice filling with panic. She got up on her knees and looked around, instantly relaxing. Letting out a breath. She fell back against her cushion.

A few yards away, Jesse sat next to a new fire. It was large and looked so warm and inviting. About thirty feet from him, was Stacie and Aubrey. They were back at the lake. She didn't remember getting there, guessing she fell asleep before they arrived.

Letting out another breath, she looked at Beca. Smiling slightly she reached out and traced her thumb over one of the bruises on her cheek.

"Wake up, Love." She said softly. She didn't stir. "Beca, baby wake up. Let's go sit by the fire and warm up." She said moving her hand down to gently rub over her uninjured arm.

She moaned slightly, before her eyes blinked open. She was exhausted, that much was clear. She had slept nearly twelve hours.

"Hey you." She said. "How did you sleep?"

Beca slowly sat up, and Chloe was quick to help her as she winced, putting too much pressure on her arm. She looked at it in confusion before looking at Chloe.

"Uh, you got shot." Chloe said carefully. "Jesse, he, he was aiming for Kommissar but missed. The bullet went straight through, didn't hit anything major. You passed out, and Stacie stitched you up with some fishing wire she found in the shop."

Beca looked at her arm, reaching up to gently touch the line of stitches. It was beautifully done, she was impressed. Though she had seen her give Chloe a clean set of stitches before. It didn't take the pain away, however.

Chloe looked toward the lake. "We are back at the lake, that spot Stacie showed us. It looks like Aubrey and Stacie caught some fish. We can use the protein." She looked at a Beca who looked almost confused.

"Beca? Are you okay?" She asked getting down beside her.

She looked at her, as if she were just seeing her for the first time. "Beca, can you- will you say something?" She asked softly.

The brunette looked down for a moment, before looking over the side of the truck to where Jesse was sitting just yards away. He was making what looked like skewers out of sticks. A doubtful expression on her face.

"He is really there."

Beca looked at her, her eyes filling with emotion. "If that's what you're thinking. This is all real. We all made it, we are alive and we are going to stay that way."

She could see the shimmer of tears in the younger girls eyes before she moved over and wrapped her arms around her.

"Be careful," Chloe chuckled lightly as she pulled Beca into her lap and hugged her. "You are still injured."

She pulled back a few seconds later and Chloe reached up, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "We are okay." She said.

Beca nodded before leaning in and pressing her lips against Chloe's.

XXXXXX

"Okay, we got three, but that's better than nothing." Stacie said as she walked up toward Jesse holding two fish in her hands. Aubrey was behind her. Holding one, and the sharpened stick they used to spear them.

She looked up as Chloe helped Beca down from the back of the truck.

"Look who's awake." She smiled and Jesse looked to see Chloe just letting Beca go after practically lifting her out of the truck.

A huge smile broke out over his face and he stood up as a Beca and Chloe began walking towards them. They only made it half way before Jesse lost his patience and ran towards them.

Beca smiled tiredly as he reached them and lifted her off the ground in a hug. He was being gentle, but Chloe still scolded him as Aubrey and Stacie reached them.

"Oh my god, Beca I didn't know if I would ever see you again." He said. "I'm so glad you are okay,"

He spun her in a circle before gently placing her back on her feet.

Aubrey leaned into Stacies side and Chloe smiled as Beca looked up at him.

He gently cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I missed you so much." He said his eyes getting misty.

Chloe stepped back to stand beside Aubrey, as the two had their reunion. The smile never left her face, knowing what was coming. It only grew wider, and tears fell from her eyes as Beca looked up at him.

"I missed you too, Jess."

Jesse, Aubrey and Stacies jaws almost hit the ground at the soft sound of a voice that Jesse never thought he would hear again. A voice they had never heard before. Chloe smiled proudly as Beca kept her eyes locked on her best friend. As Jesse looked at her in shock before turning his eyes on her.

She thought for a moment, that he might be upset, that he knew Chloe had heard her speak before he did. But there was no anger there. Only pure adoration as he pulled her back against him and kissed the top of her head.

"You're back." He cried as she clutched the back of his shirt tightly and cried with him.

A/N: Please review?


	31. I've got you

Jesse sat, quietly staring across the fire. A small content smile on his face. To his left, Stacie and Aubrey were having a conversation about modesty in the apocalypse and how it was no longer a thing. He wasn't sure but he thought he heard Stacie say something about wanting to cut her jeans off into shorts, because she had killer legs and was sick of hiding them.

Aubrey argued that the jeans protected her legs and they wouldn't look so good after a week being left bare. He tuned them out when Stacie lifted a pant leg and showed Aubrey what she was tired of hiding.

A small chuckle leaving him, as Aubrey demanded to use the knife Stacie used to shave, because hers wasn't doing the job well enough.

Across from him, where he let is gaze settle, was Chloe and Beca. Beca tucked safely into Chloe's side, as they draped a curtain over their shoulders to stay warm. They weren't speaking, but Beca's shy smiles and Chloe's soft laugh as she kissed her temple were enough.

They were happy. They were content and for the moment they were safe. Sure they were almost murdered the day before. They had been kidnapped, beaten, tortured. They had cuts and bruises and injuries that would remain with them for days, even weeks. Longer for Beca and her gunshot wound.

But, they survived. They beat the people that tried to kill them. They were safe, warm. Had boiled water to drink. Full bellies. They knew not to take this quiet night for granted. They knew how lucky they were and they weren't going to spend it grieving over what happened. They were alive, and that was enough.

"Beca, do you wanna go for a walk?"

Jesse looked at Chloe as she waited for an answer. Beca looked up at her for a second before nodding.

She smiled and stood up, helping Beca up as well. The smaller girl closed her eyes, wincing slightly, her body sore, and Chloe wrapped a protective, supportive arm around her.

"I've got you."

"Take the gun." Jesse said standing up and pulling it out of his holster. Chloe nodded, taking it and slipping it into the back of her pants. "And uh, don't go to far, okay?" He asked.

"We won't." Chloe smiled softly, understanding.

Beca gave him a small smile before Chloe lead her away.

Jesse sat back down and Aubrey looked over at him, a look of understanding in her eyes. "Don't worry, they'll be fine. It's dark out, they aren't going far."

He nodded, "I know. It's just...I just got her back." He said picking up a small rock and tossing it into the flames, watching the embers dance away from it.

"She's not going anywhere." Stacie said. "She's in good hands." She said looked over her shoulder at Chloe. "Very good hands."

XXXXXX

They walked down to the shore of the lake before walking along it, listening to the soft sound of the water drifting up. There was a slight breeze, and it was getting cold. Chloe kept the curtain pulled around them, keeping their body heat in.

"Are you hurting?" She asked running her hand over Beca's side where it held her tightly.

She nodded. "A bit. But not too bad. I think tomorrow, when it's the hottest it'll get, I'll get into the lake. It'll help the pain."

Chloe nodded. "That's a good idea." She said as they continued to walk away from the fire. It was getting darker the further they went. The fire just a flicker of light behind them. It was when they came to a large tree trunk that blocked their path, and went out into the water, Chloe stopped.

"Here," she said and helped Beca to sit on it. Once she was seated and comfortable, Chloe sat next to her, wrapping them up tightly.

They were quiet for a while just looking out over he water. The moonlight shinning on it.

"So, why did you want to walk here?" Beca's asked. Chloe however, stayed quiet and Beca looked at her, after not receiving an answer.

Her breath caught, when she realized how close their faces were. Though she didn't try to move away, and Chloe didn't either.

"I wanted to be alone with you." Chloe said looking down for a second.

"How come?" She asked, searching her eyes, and letting her own eyes flicker down a few times. She knew why Chloe wanted her alone, she wasn't dumb. She wanted to be alone with her too. They were finally safe. They were alive, and she hadn't forgotten what happened.

"Because, I wanted to be alone, when I did this," she said and leaned forward. Beca's eyes fluttered closed as she felt a soft pair of lips against her own.

They were soft, and warm and she felt her stomach drop as she moved closer. She felt Chloe's breath catch as she pulled back for just a moment before tilting her head and closing her lips over Chloe's again, kissing her a little harder.

It's exactly what she wanted. What she had wanted that day. When they we so close, before the accident. She hoped Chloe hadn't changed her mind. She hoped it was still a mutual feeling. She smiled lightly, feeling Chloe pressing closer to her and the feeling of her tongue on her lips. She allowed her entrance and felt as much as she heard the soft sound of satisfaction leave the older girl.

After a few moments, they pulled apart, resting their foreheads together and Beca realized Chloe's hand was tangled in her hair, holding her in place.

"I'm not so cold anymore." Beca whispered and Chloe laughed lightly. Kissing her once more before pulling her against her.

"I'm glad we made it Becs. I'm glad we get this chance." She whispered kissing her head.

"Me too, Chlo. I hoped you felt the same way I did."

"For a while now." Chloe smiled. "I like you a lot."

"I like you a lot." Beca smiled pulling back. "You're special." She said, and her cheeks flushed red as she looked down.

Chloe smiled and gripped her chin lightly, guiding her face back up and kissed her again. "You're special too Beca. Very special, and I hope we can continue this?" She asked.

Beca felt her stomach erupt in butterflies. "Absolutely." She said leaning back in for another kiss.

XXXXXX

Stacie turned back to the fire, from where she had been watching Beca and Chloe. She wasn't trying to spy, but she wanted to make sure they were okay. Doing this, she happened to see what they were doing and she smiled.

"It's about time." She chuckled and Aubrey and Jesse looked at her in confusion.

"The love birds finally kissed." She said and Aubrey turned quickly to look. However, she looked away just as quickly.

"Great now I have to threaten Beca's life, and she just barley survived."

Stacie chuckled and Jesse looked at her in shock. "You're going to do what?"

Aubrey looked at him as if he were from another planet. "Beca is kissing my best friend. I have to give her the speech. You know, if you hurt her, I'll murder you..."

Jesse raised his eyebrows and looked at Stacie. "It's a thing." She shrugged.

"Okay then." He said slapping his hands down on his thighs. "On that note, I think I am going to use the bathroom and head to bed." He said standing up and walking towards the woods.

Aubrey and Stacie smiled after him, before looking at each other and Aubrey lunged forward, crashing her lips against Stacies, wrapping her hand around the back of her neck to keep her in place.

Stacie instantly kissed back, leaning into her. They broke apart after a few seconds and Stacie let out a breath.

"Didn't think you were ever going to do it." She said.

Aubrey blushed. "Life isn't guaranteed. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. They are smart. Taking a leap of faith. I'd be stupid if I didn't do the same." Aubrey smiled.

"I think you feel the same?" She asked carefully and Stacie smiled, kissing her again and Aubrey pulled her closer. She knew how she felt about the taller girl and she knew that Stacie felt the same, she wanted to be one hundred percent sure.

Unable to help herself, Stacie pushed Aubrey backwards, so she lay on her back next to the fire and settled herself over her, kissing her harder. It would t go any further, but she wanted to be as close as she possibly could to the blonde. And Aubrey didn't seem to mind.

XXXXXX

"So, you don't want to stay here?" Chloe asked in confusion. "I thought being close to the water was a good thing? The fish and the unlimited supply of water."

"It is a good thing. Its also a very dangerous thing." Stacie said.

It was early morning, and they had all woken up as the sun rose. Stacie had woken up a while before and went hunting. She only managed to get a rabbit, but it was enough to feed them.

Chloe handed Beca a piece of meat and she took it gingerly before putting it into her mouth. She was quiet as they discussed where they should make camp.

Chloe wanted to stay at the lake, and she didn't particularly want to leave either. But Stacie and Jesse had a point. Being near the water was dangerous.

Other people would find the lake, and it could end badly.

"We can load up as much water as possible. Stay a few days, get rested, heal. Catch some more fish, and hunt more. But I think we should move on. Maybe not far, but not right here on the lake." Jesse said.

Aubrey smiled as Beca gave the remaining bit of her rabbit meat to Chloe. The older girl tried to refuse it, but Beca just held her hand down and put it in her mouth. Chloe shook her head as she chewed and smiled before giving a thank you kiss.

"What about..." Stacie started, looking down almost worriedly. "What about my cabin?"

Jesse looked at her. "What about your cabin? You spoke briefly of it."

"Yeah, its where my mom and little sister and I were headed. Like I said, we never made it. And I was taken by Kommissar before I ever made it." She said looking up at him.

"You think it will still be there? I mean, how do you know no one took it?"

She shook her head. "I don't know that. It very well could have been found and claimed. Or raided. But there is also a chance that no one was out that far. That no one was close enough. And not many people know where it is. It's pretty secluded."

"Do you know where it is from here?" Chloe asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know for sure. But if I knew exactly where we were, and if I had a map, I could find it."

"Do we have a map?" Beca asked Jesse and shook is head.

"It was in the truck."

"But the truck is still there. It's still in the road where it crashed. We could go back, and get it." Chloe said.

"I thought you wanted to stay?" Aubrey smiled.

"Well, if there is possibly a safe place to go... with a door, then who am I to say no?" She asked and looked at Stacie. "I assume it has a water source?"

"There is a river." Stacie said.

"Well, I don't know how this is even a discussion. I think we should try and find it." Aubrey said.

Jesse nodded. "I agree."

Stacie smiled and looked at Beca and Chloe.

"Does it have beds?" Beca asked.

"Last time I was there, it had four beds and a bunk bed." She said.

"I'm in." Beca said curling into Chloe.

"Alright. Well, how about me and Stacie go to the old truck and get the map and we will figure out how to get there?" He asked.

"Sounds good." Stacie said looking at Aubrey. "You coming?"

Aubrey looked at Beca and Chloe. "Is that okay?" She asked. "As you good here?"

"We are good. Just leave the gun?" Chloe asked. They nodded and Jesse walked over, kissing the top of Beca's head.

"We will be back before noon." He said as Stacie and Aubrey headed for the truck.

"I'm driving!" Stacie called.

Beca nodded at him. "Be careful."

"You too. Don't get to crazy." He laughed as he walked towards the truck.

"Who says you get to drive?" He called and Beca chuckled.

"He likes to drive, but I always stole the keys." She said and Chloe squeezed her.

"Well, it looks like he has been replaced as the group driver." She said as Jesse climbed into the passenger side.

They were quiet as they watched them drive away.

"Thank you, Chloe."

Chloe looked down at her, before nudging her to sit up so she could see her. "For what?"

Beca looked down, not meeting eyes. "Beca, talk to me. Why?"

She took a breath and looked up at her. "For... not letting that man..." she trailed off, her eyes dropping again. "For stopping him from forcing me." She said.

Chloe felt her heart clench. She hadn't forgotten what almost happened to Beca and she knew Beca hadn't either. But she wasn't expecting her to bring it up. It made sense that it would be on her mind. It was traumatic. It had pushed Beca out of her silence. She didn't think she needed to be thanked, however.

"Of course, Beca. You don't have to thank me. Not for that. I never would have let them touch you, at all. If I could have had my way they never would laid a hand on you. Not once."

Beca nodded. "I wish I could have stopped them, from what they did to you. I could hear her, when I was in that closet. I could hear what she was doing to you. and I wanted to stop it. I'm sorry I couldn't."

Chloe shook her head and pulled her into a hug. "I am fine. We are alive, and she nor any one else can hurt us. Not anymore." She said.

Beca nodded. "I've never been so scared. I've never felt so powerless."

Chloe ran her fingers down her hair. "I know. I never want you to feel that way again. I'm sorry you've been suffering with this."

They were silent for a few minutes. Both deep in thought. Before Beca spoke again.

"Don't tell Jesse." She said softly and Chloe's hand stilled. "Don't tell him what they did...tried to do."

Chloe nodded. "I won't. I promise."

Beca nodded, tucking her face under Chloe's chin and leaning into her. She was warm, and her cough had gone away almost completely. It was quiet, aside from the birds chirping and they fell into a comfortable silence. The fire warming them further. Lost in their own thoughts.

After a while Chloe had started to plan in her head, for the trip they would be making. It was then, she felt a soft pair of lips against her neck. Her eyes closed and she smiled as Beca kissed her softly before pulling away. Just as she had done to Beca, that night in the basement of the shop.

She knew it was a thank you. Another one, that she didn't need to give. She would always be there. She would always do her best to keep her safe. And she knew. Beca would do the same. They were all a family now. And they would be okay.

She smiled, and pressed her lips to the top of Beca's head. "I've got you, Beca."

PLEASE REVIEW? I could use it.


	32. Last words, letting it go

There was no breeze and the air was heavy, thick with humidity. It was hot, and hard to breath, and they couldn't believe that soon, it would be winter. Especially since Chloe had already been on her way to getting sick, and nights were so cold.

It was nearly noon, and Beca watched calmly, as the soft motion of Chloe's toes in the water, caused it to ripple away from them. They sat on the end of the dock, side by side, looking out over the lake. Their toes in the water, as they enjoyed the peace and quiet. Sucking it up as much as they could. Not knowing how long it would lady, but trying not to think about it.

"Do you think we will find it?" Chloe asked softly, her voice being the only sound aside from the occasional bird chirping. Beca looked up at her, her eyes leaving the ripples that had captured her attention.

"I hope so." She said. "If what Stacie is saying is true, it could be a really good place for us."

Chloe nodded in agreement, looking down for a moment. "I believe her. After everything we have been through, everything she has done to help us." She said. "I don't think she would lie about something like this. But, what if someone has already claimed it? Are we going to take it?"

Beca let out a breath and looked out over the lake. "No." She said and Chloe looked at her.

"Even though it belongs to Stacie?" Chloe asked curiously. She wasn't arguing with Beca's answer, she just wanted to know Beca's thoughts.

"Not really. Not anymore. It was fair game, as soon as this started. If someone has already claimed it, and made it their home," she said and looked at Chloe. "Then we have no right to take it from them. We will just move on. Find something else. I mean, we are in the North Georgia mountains. There are more places. More seclusion." She said returning her attention to the water. "We could always leave the state. See what else America has to offer."

Chloe smiled lightly and reached over, taking Beca's hand in her own. She was proud of Beca's answer. She was right, they had no claim on the cabin and if it was claimed, they would need to find something else. She hoped Stacie would agree, and had a feeling she would. She seemed to have the same thinking process that Beca did.

That was comforting, seeing as Stacie and Aubrey had become close. Chloe was just as protective of Aubrey as Aubrey was her. And she knew that with Stacie, she would be taken care of. Just like she was with Beca.

They fell into another comfortable silence. Chloe sighing in content as she traced her thumb over Beca's bruised and healing knuckles. Her arm was doing well, they all knew she was in pain, but she didn't complain, and there was no sign of infection. She did however, let Chloe help her change, unable to fully lift her arm to put a shirt on.

As the silence drew on, Chloe's mind began to wander and it wasn't too long before she nibbled on her lower lip, her hand stilling against Beca's and the younger girl looked at her. "Are you okay?" She asked.

She nodded, "I'm fine, I was just thinking."

Beca smiled. "What about?"

Her face fell slightly, as a worried frown took over Chloe's features. "Hey," she said softly, and Chloe looked at her.

"What is it?" She tired to smile, trying to give Chloe some reassurance.

Chloe cleared her throat softly and looked back at the water. "I was just thinking, wondering, really..." she started. "If you wanted to tell me a little about your life before this?" She asked. "I'd like to get to know you more."

Beca smiled sadly. "Is that all? You worry too much. Of course I want too. I want to learn more about you too." Chloe smiled brightly, the tension leaving her body and she continued the soothing motion of her finger over Beca's knuckles.

"Uh, my life wasn't anything amazing. It was the typical life, I guess. I lived with my Dad and step mom. My Dad was a writer, his wife, was a health teacher at the local high school. We didn't always get along." She said and Chloe nodded, listening intently. She didn't think Beca would be so willing to share the details of her life before all of this. She was glad she was though, she wanted to know everything about her.

"My dad and I had the normal arguments that you have with your dad. He wanted me to go to college, I didn't want to go. It just didn't feel right for me. I knew I could find work doing something that would make happy. As well as make me enough money to live on. Jesse, he was always the college type. It's all he talked about senior year. He begged me to go with him. He thought if we went to the same college, I wouldn't mind it so much." She laughed lightly.

Chloe smiled at her. "He was going to attended Barden right?" She asked.

Beca nodded. "Yeah, the same school you and Aubrey went too. Maybe if this wouldn't have happened, and I would have gone, we would have met under different circumstances." She said lifting their hands, and focusing her attention on the slender fingers that caressed her own?

Chloe's face lit up. "I so would have made you join our acapella group." She stated proudly.

Beca laughed fully this time. "I thought you scolded Aubrey for talking about that? Something about it not being bad ass in the apocalypse?"

Chloe blushed and looked down. "Maybe I was trying to impress you." She shrugged.

Beca blushed this time as she reached over and took Chloe's chin between her fingers so she couldn't look away. "You didn't have to try. You impressed me, you still do." She said.

Chloe smiled and leaned in, pressing her lips against Beca's in a soft kiss.

When they pulled back Beca smiled once more before looking over the lake.

"Its kind of ironic. The night before this all happened, my dad had become so frustrated with me. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't just go to college. He was going to pay, everything. I know I was lucky, I know not everyone has parents that are willing and able to pay for college. I guess he was at his wits end."

Chloe could feel Beca's body tensing beside her. "I tried not to let it go as far as it did, but we both lost our tempers. He said awful things. I retaliated. My step mom, tried to intervene, but it didn't work. I ended up locking my self in my room. He left, slammed the door. I could hear him peeling out of the driveway."

Her voice had dropped, and half way through her story, it began to crack. Chloe wrapped an arm around her, trying to comfort her.

Beca smiled softly, telling her she was thankful. "The next day, he was gone to work by the time I woke up. I felt off. All day, something just wasn't right. But I couldn't wait for him to get home. I had called Jesse, and told him to come by, and I was waiting, for what seemed like forever. It was when I heard the sound of my dads truck, the one I had been driving before the accident, pull into the drive way." Her voice trailed off and Chloe could feel her stomach begin to twist.

"I was waiting by the door, when he burst in, covered in blood." She said, her voice beginning to even out. "He was wild eyed and had what looked like a bite, on his arm. He was in a panic, and grabbed me, started screaming at me, to get his gun."

Chloe shifted, keeping her eyes on the younger girl. "I was frozen, I couldn't understand what happened, and I couldn't find my voice to ask. When he pulled away, all I could do was reach up and touch the blood left on my face from where he held me."

She cleared her throat. "Um, what I didn't know at the time, was he was telling me to get his gun, so I could shoot him. It was only moments later, that my dad wasn't my dad anymore. He was out of control, and I wasn't very strong. Not then. He came at me, and at first, I didn't fight him, I didn't know he was trying to hurt me."

Chloe felt her heart beating hard in her chest, as if she didn't know that Beca was going to survive. It scared her even to imagine the story she was being told.

"It was when he knocked me down on the stairs, and I could hear his teeth clashing together that it all hit me. I pushed against him as hard as I could, I was screaming, for someone, anyone to help me. For him to stop, as if he could hear me, or listen. I got away, just for a moment and tried to run up the stairs, but he caught me again. Pulling me down the staircase, and I was sure it was over. But, that's when Jesse came in. He pulled him off of me, told me to get the keys, and run."

Chloe took a breath, guessing now was a good time to speak. "So, Jesse, he..."

Beca looked down. "I don't know what he did. I got the keys, as he fought off my Dad. He told me to drive to the end of the road, where it was a dead end. He said to wait for him there, but not to stop for anything or anyone else. So I did." She said.

"I drove as fast as I could, and I waited for him. He came running through the woods, jumped in the bed of the truck and we left. I didn't even realize that I had cut my head, probably in the scuffle with my dad. Jesse never told me what he did that day. But he was covered in blood, even before he got to my house. He had already seen the things that I hadn't. He came to my house, not because I asked him too, but to make sure I was alive."

"I'm so sorry, Beca." Chloe said softly. "I'm glad you are here, but I'm sorry that you went through that."

She nodded slowly. "The last, coherent thing my dad said to me, was during our fight. He said I was never going to succeed at anything in life, that my plans weren't good enough and I was throwing away my only chance at success." She said. Chloe felt her breath catch.

"I know he didn't mean it. He was angry. I was angry, even though I knew that it would all be okay. I never told him, I never got the chance to tell him..."

"Tell him what?"

"The reason I tried not to let the fight go too far. Why I didn't fight him harder. The reason for waiting for him the next day and inviting Jesse over. I had applied to Barden, it was going to be a surprise. My acceptance letter came, and I was going to show them both. But then, it all ended."

"Beca," Chloe said softly. "You know your dad would have been, and most definitely was very proud of you. No matter what he said. And I am too. You did your very best."

She nodded, the tears she didn't know were filling her eyes began to slid down her cheeks.

"I miss him. I try to tell myself, that he is really okay. He is alive and out there. Not as one of them. I never saw him die, so I can imagine." She said. "It makes it easier."

Chloe pulled Beca into her side gently and the younger girl laid her head on her shoulder. "You don't always have to be so strong. Not around me, not around them. You are human Beca, and you have feelings. Thank you for opening up to me."

She felt her nod against her shoulder and smiled. "I'm proud of you. For getting into Barden. Even if you didn't get to actually go, you were accepted. And I'm proud of you."

She felt Beca shudder against her and she knew the girl was crying. "I've got you." She whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Let me be your strength for a little while. Let it out."

And she did. She didn't know how long they sat there, Beca crying in the comfort of Chloe's arms. Crying for her dad, for her step mom, she never knew what became of her. She cried for the fight, and for the good memories. She let her self feel a little pity, before reeling it back in, and reminding herself that she was okay. She was a survivor, and she was going to remain as such. Now she had Chloe to care for, and be cared for in return. She had Jesse, Aubrey and Stacie. Their own little family. They were going to be okay, they would get through this, they would find a place to call home and they would survive.

A/N: sorry for the delay! Next chapter will be Chloe and Aubrey's past, and the journey to the cabin! If it's still there... PLEASE review?! I could use some positivity right now


	33. Guardian angel

A/N: thank you all for the amazing reviews last chapter! They are so helpful you guys and they make me want to write and update even more! Real fast, if you are reading either of my other two stories, unbreakable, or Hero in you. They are both currently being written, but A LOT is happening in each of them, so I'm really taking my time to make it perfect! Okay here you go!

"So, tell me about you?"

Aubrey looked to her right, where Stacie stood, her bow ready as they both stood watch. They made it to the truck and were currently keeping their eyes peeled, while Jesse did his best to get everything they might need out of it. The map, being the first thing he found and tucked into his pocket.

"What about me?" Aubrey asked as she adjusted her stance and looked around almost nervously.

"Tell me about the day it happened. What were you doing?" Stacie asked curiously.

Aubrey cleared her throat. "Oh. Um, are you sure?" She asked. "I mean, it's not really that great of a story."

Stacie smirked and nudged her with her elbow. "Of course I'm sure." She said.

Aubrey nodded with a sigh and rolled her shoulders. "I uh, was actually asleep. When it started." Stacie nodded, listening.

"Chloe and I were both, passed out." She said. "It was like six at night, and our friends had literally busted our door down. We had just moved into our new dorm, getting ready to start our senior year at Barden University. We had gone to a party the night before, and we both got completely smashed. I mean, we are both pretty responsible during the year, we don't go to many parties, but usually we go to the one right before classes start. To relax and get it out of our system."

"That's not a bad thing." Stacie said.

Aubrey shook her head. "No I suppose not. I mean, we did sleep through the beginning of the apocalypse." She said. "That's not exactly good."

Stacie chuckled as Jesse crawled out of the upside down truck, pulling a bag with him. "It's Beca's backpack, I put whatever I could into it." He said standing up and putting it on.

They nodded and he let out a breath, looking around. "Continue your story." He smiled gently. "We can listen on our drive back."

"I'll never forget the fear that went through me."

Beca looked into sky blue eyes, seeing the memories swimming in them. "The sound of the door splitting as Luke kicked it in. How they were all so frantic, Amy and Lily were covered in blood. They were relieved to find us alive." She said and looked down.

They had walked back down the beach, to the fallen tree and Chloe was sitting in the sand, leaning back against it, while Beca was between her legs, her back resting against Chloe's front. She played with Chloe's hand, admiring her long, soft fingers. Tracing the small healing cuts and bruises she found.

"They were good friends." Beca said lightly, leaning her head back to rest on Chloe's chest. "To come and find you guys."

Chloe nodded. "They were. They were the best. Even Luke at the time. He was so... normal."

Beca could hear the sadness in Chloe's voice. Luke had been a menace and she wasn't sorry for killing him. But she did feel bad, that Chloe had lost someone she had once been so close too.

"I mean, it wasn't too long before he started to change. But before... he was good." She said.

"We had taken the bus that we used to drive to competitions. It was big, it carried all of us, plus supplies. And we tried to hide it out for as long as possible in the performing arts center. But, it was so big, it was only a matter of time before it was taken over." Aubrey sighed.

Jesse looked at her. "Is that when your group started..."

Aubrey looked at him, knowing he meant nothing bad by it. "Dying?" She asked and his cheeks flushed red.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be insensitive."

Aubrey waved him off. "It's alright." She said and Stacie reached over, linking their hands together, keeping one hand on the wheel. "Yes, that is when we started losing people. We just didn't know what to do. How to defend ourselves. And after Amy and Cynthia rose..." she trailed off. "It was just me, Chloe, Luke and Lily." She said.

"It must have been hard," Stacie said.

She nodded. "They hadn't been buried for 24 hours, before Luke had started to lose his mind. He couldn't handle it I guess. The death."

"What happened to Luke. It isn't your fault."

Chloe nodded. "I know. I mean, I know now. At first, it felt like it was."

Beca brought the hand she was holding up, and pressed her lips against the knuckles.

"He appointed himself group leader. He decided we were his responsibility and he would do anything he could. Anything, he had too, to keep us safe. It wasn't long after he made the decision that, he had a right to treat us how he deemed appropriate. He was keeping us alive, so we owed him. Whatever he wanted."

Beca could feel her blood run cold. "And lily?"

Chloe shook her head. "No. Not Lily. Luke he, he was afraid of Lily. She was stronger than the rest of us. She didn't need him. But she was one of us. She was our friend."

"It was the eighth month. The eighth month since the world ended, that Luke first snapped."

Jesse looked at Aubrey and Stacie squeezed her hand. "We had already been walking on egg shells around him. He was moody. He was entitled. He thought he could do whatever he wanted. Just a few days before he snapped, I had caught him trying to force Chloe to kiss him."

Jesse took a breath through his nose. "I yanked him away from her, and his eyes, there was nothing in them. It scared me, and it scared her. When he snapped, it was over the smallest thing. Chloe and I, we had gone into the bus to get out of the cold. We were curled up on one of the bigger seats, with an old dorm blanket. He rushed onto the bus and started yelling. It was as if he had already been angry, and it was just growing and growing. The moment he was on the bus, he was outraged. Screaming that we were nothing but lazy, worthless bitches that did nothing to contribute." She said. "I tried to calm him down, I tried explaining that we were only trying to keep warm. We had nothing to make a fire, but he didn't care." She said. "Chloe was stunned into silence and he didn't like that either."

Stacie could feel Aubrey's hand trembling in her own. "You don't have to keep going, Bree." She said gently.

She shook her head. "No it's okay. It's just upsetting, you know?"

They both nodded and she smiled lightly. "It escalated and Chloe tried to leave the bus. Tried to take us both off of it, but he grabbed her and shoved her backwards. She fell, and hit her head on one of the handles on the seats. She wasn't unconscious, but she was hurt. I wasn't thinking when I lunged at him, and he easily knocked me back. I had a bloody nose and Chloe was crying on the floor trying to get away from him by the time Lily showed up and tore him away from us."

"She saved you."

Chloe nodded. "She did. I don't know what she said to him. She whispered something in his ear and he hightailed it off the bus." She chuckled.

"She sounds like I'd like her."

Chloe nodded. "You would have." She said.

Beca could hear her voice falter. She knew what came next.

"A month later, she was killed. By a man." She said.

Beca sat up and turned around to face her. "A man?"

She nodded, a tear slipping from her eye. "Yeah uh, he panicked when he saw her, he didn't even look, he just took off, while pulling the trigger to his automatic. She was shot nine times. Two bullets, straight into her head. She went quick, she didn't feel anything."

"How do you know?" Beca asked softly.

Chloe looked up at her. "She was dead before she hit the ground." She said. "And her dying, woke up the monster that Luke had been hiding."

The walk was quiet for a long time. Aubrey had to take a break after telling them how Lily had died. The only sound was of the truck engine. The sun was starting to go down and the forest seemed to glow gold and orange.

"We were terrified of him, after that." She said and Jesse and Stacie both tuned back in, after having drifted off into their own thoughts about Aubrey's story.

"He was, evil almost. He slapped us around. Treated us like dogs. That's why, when Chloe got so sick, she stopped eating. She was so afraid of Luke. Afraid of what he would do to her, if she couldn't keep down the little bit of food we had."

"Thats bullshit. She couldn't help it." Jesse growled. Aubrey nodded.

"You're right. She lost so much weight and it took a while to put even half of it back on. She was so, so sick. I tried, so hard to protect her from him. I took as much of his anger as possible, to make sure she didn't. She wasn't strong enough to take it. I was."

"Its still not right." Stacie said. "I know he was a friend once. But I'm not sorry he is dead."

Aubrey looked at her, and she knew that Stacie wasn't trying to be heartless. She didn't know the Luke they had known before. But she was right. She wasn't sorry either. Not after everything he had done to them.

"Luke and Kommissar would have made a perfect couple." Jesse scoffed.

Aubrey smirked at him. "At least Kommissar tried to stop Chloe's cough. I know what we saw was bad. She shouldn't have forced her, or hit her. But she did give Chloe the alcohol that suppressed her cough and it seemed to help fight off another sickness." She said, "I have to thank her for that."

"He will never hurt you again, you know." Beca said as they walked hand in hand down the shore, back towards camp.

"I know." She said. "It looks like we both have a pretty tragic back story."

Beca nodded. "Life before wasn't so bad."

Chloe smiled. "No it wasn't. It was actually pretty good."

Beca smiled at her and walked closer, squeezing her hand.

"Hey look." Chloe said and pointed toward the trees where Aubrey and Stacie were walking toward them.

"Thank god." Beca breathed. They didn't speak it, but they had both been worried about their friends. Seeing them coming out of the trees was a huge relief.

They met at the fire pit and Beca looked around. "Where is Jesse?" She asked.

"He parked in the trees. He thinks it'd be a good idea to keep it there for the night. And we will leave first thing in the morning." Stacie said as she laid her bow down and knelt down to reignite the fire.

"How was it?" Chloe asked as she hugged Aubrey in greeting.

"Good. Jesse got some stuff, he got the map and a few things from the truck."

"We also go dinner."

They all looked to see Jesse walking out of the trees.

Stacie smiled at the three rabbits he held. "Yeah we made a little pit stop." She said. "I saw one run across the road, so I went hunting."

"Thank goodness. I'm starving. Here, give me one and I'll get started cleaning it, while you finish the fire." Chloe said and Aubrey and Beca smiled proudly as she took the dead rabbit and walked over, pulling a knife from the holster on her hip and got to work.

Stacie had gone for a swim, as Chloe and Aubrey fell asleep in the back of the truck, their bellies full. Beca and Jesse stayed up, keeping warm by the fire, cooking the last of the rabbit meat to take on their drive to the cabin. It was a clear night and the moon was bright as it shown down on them.

"Hey, I uh...I grabbed something for you."

Beca looked up, across the fire as Jesse stood and pulled something from his pocket. She felt her stomach twist as he held his hand out and she reached hers out too.

He laid a set of keys in her hand. She pulled her arm back at looked down at them., feeling a thousand emotions hit her all at once.

"I should have grabbed them before. I'm sorry."

She looked up, shaking her head, with teary eyes. "No it's okay." She said. "Thank you."

He nodded and watched as she gently examined the keys to her dads truck. The silver bottle opener, the small pocket knife. The truck key, house key. And the little Charm that she had bought for him for fathers day a few years prior. She played with it, reading the inscription.

'Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.'

"He is always with you."

Beca looked up to see Jesse smiling at her lovingly. "He is your guardian angel now."

She let the tears fall and stood up, circling the fire and hugging him tightly. "Thank you Jess."

Down at the dock, Stacie looked up, to see them in a tight embrace and she smiled. She wasn't sure about Jesse at first. His temper was worrisome. And the way Beca reacted to his anger in the beginning made her uncomfortable. But she couldn't deny, that he was a good guy. And he loved her. He cared for all of them.

Beca pulled back, "I think I'm going to call it a night. Early day tomorrow."

He nodded. "Yeah go for it. I'm going to stay up for a while."

She smiled and walked around him into the trees toward the truck. She tried to be quiet, as she climbed into the back, moving over to where Chloe lay sleeping. She almost got back out, unsure if there was room for her, when she she felt a hand on her wrist.

"Come here." Came a sleepy voice and she smiled as Chloe made room and Beca curled into her. She smiled again when Aubrey shifted and spooned Chloe, her arm over her waist and she grabbed a handful of Beca's shirt as she snuggled further into the warm embrace.

She didn't mind it. The warmer the better and she knew it was innocent. She closed her eyes, and got comfortable, the keys still in her hand as she drifted off to sleep.

Beca loaded the last of the water they had gathered into the back of the truck. Their makeshift bed, put up, to make room for the water and things they had collected. Stacie was driving, while Aubrey rode shot gun and Jesse, Beca and Chloe sat in the back. They had left as the sun was rising and ate as they drove. Beca kept her dads keys attached to her belt loop and relaxed against the back window of the truck as they drove. Chloe pulled her hair up into a pony tail, so her hair wouldn't be a knotted mess from the wind and Beca smiled at her as a few curls fell around her face. She was beautiful. The sun shinning in her eyes made them even brighter as she looked at all the passing trees. Her lose hair wiping around her face in the wind. The small smile on her lips.

They had been driving for almost four hours when Stacie pulled the truck up next to a group of abandoned cars,

"We are getting low on gas, I'm gonna see if these have anything in them."

They all nodded and grabbed their guns, keeping watch as Stacie syphoned the gas from one of the cars and let it fill an empty milk jug they kept in the back.

She was able to get a couple gallons and filled their tank before they were on their way again.

Chloe was dozing off in the afternoon sun. Her head resting on Beca's shoulder. Jesse chuckled at them, as he cleaned one of the guns. Not having anything else to do

It was late afternoon and Beca had just began to doze off herself when the truck came to a screeching halt and they were all wide awake and alert instantly.

The three in the back stood up, guns ready, but froze when they looked over the top of the truck.

"Holy fuck." Jesse gasped. They were at the top of a hill over looking a wide open area. At least three miles of nothing but flatland and they knew they were out of the mountains. Down below the hill, the reason Stacie stopped. Was a hoard, of hundreds of creatures.

"Oh my god." Chloe said, her hand tightening on her gun.

"They heard us." Stacie called from inside and they all felt their blood run cold. They had heard the truck and they were headed up the hill towards them.

"We don't have nearly enough Ammo." Beca said. "We need to turn around, now." She said and hit the top of the truck.

"Hold on!" Stacie called as she put the truck in reverse.

They all dropped down and Beca grabbed Chloe, pulling her to her as Stacie turned the truck around and they sped off in the direction they came. The opposite direction of Stacies cabin.

A/N: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review? I'm begging I know. I'm pathetic, I know. But the reviews seriously are the best things in the world.


	34. Valley Below

A/N: Alright guys sorry for the delay, i got so sick. And it ruined everything. Stomach bugs can go get fucked. Kay, here yo go!

Stacie hadn't let up on the gas pedal for what seemed like only a few miles before the truck backfired loudly and Chloe jerked violently, eyes wide. Stacie grabbed the wheel tightly, keeping control of the tuck as she slowed down.

"What the hell?" Jesse shouted over the loud rumble of the engine and Stacie slowed further, guiding the truck onto the shoulder. As they all looked around nervously.

"I don't know! It backfired and now we are losing acceleration." Stacie called and, was soon swearing repeatedly as the truck began to sputter.

"Fuck, you have got to be kidding me." Beca growled as she stood, balancing her hands on the top of the truck. "Try to guide it into the trees over there." She said dropping down and pointing to the right.

Stacie nodded silently and began to pull the truck off the road. By the time they rolled through a gap in the trees, the truck was no longer running, and rolled to a stop about thirty feet into the tree line. The moment it was still, Beca and Jesse were both jumping over the sides, therir feet landing on the crunchy forest floor.

"Beca?" Chloe asked softly from the back of the truck and the other girl turned to see Chloe looking very unsure in the bed of the truck, her gun held tightly as Aubrey and Stacie got out of the cab.

She smiled lightly, trying to reassure her as much as she could and walked over. "Its okay, we have faced worse than a truck breaking down." She said and slid her gun into her holster on her hip before reaching up.

Aubrey had just stepped out of the truck, leaving the door open, so the sound of it closing didn't alert anything and looked over to see Beca helping Chloe over the edge of the truck. She smiled lightly, as Chloe instantly wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her into a hug when she hit the ground.

"Now what?" The blonde asked looking at Jesse.

"Stacie, how far is your cabin from here? Roughly?" He asked as he stood on the tire and leaned into the back of the truck, grabbing a few things.

"I don't know, uh, maybe thirty miles? Give or take a mile or two." She said. Jesse nodded.

"We will just have to travel on foot." He said, looking at Beca who nodded her agreement.

"What? On foot? We just drove away from a hoard in that direction, and we were protected at least a little by the truck. Now, you want us to walk back toward it? Through it?" Chloe asked in shock.

"We don't have much of a choice, do we?"Jesse asked. "The truck is down, I'm not even going to bother to look under the hood, this old piece of crap was barely running to begin with." He said kicking the tire and Chloe bit the inside of her cheek, looking down and nodding.

Beca sighed as she pulled herself up on the edge of the truck and began grabbing things. "We have two backpacks, I'll carry one, Jesse can carry one and we can put the water and food into them. Everyone else, hold the weapons. Chloe, keep your gun in your hand, your knife on your thigh. Stacie, you can hold your crossbow as well as a machete, right?"

Stacie scoffed playfully. "Easy."

Beca smirked as she tossed the machete to her. She caught it by the handle and flipped it around in her hand as she situated her crossbow on her back.

"Aubrey," Jesse said hoping down from the truck. "Hold this gun." He said handing her a pistol. "Then," He started as he bent down and strapped a holster onto the thigh that didn't already have one. "Keep this knife here, and the other gun in that holster." He said standing backup.

It took a few minutes, and Stacie kept watch as they got situated but soon enough, they were all loaded with their weapons and backpacks. Beca held half the water they collected rom the lake and some of the cooked meat. As well as the pot to boil the water in and some ammo. Jesse held the other half of the water and meat as well as a few spare pieces of clothing.

"You are the expert on traveling on foot, we have been blessed with cars thus far." Beca said with a deep breath. "So, we will follow your lead." She said looking at Stacie and the girl nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

"And when we run into the hoard that was following us?" Chloe asked looking towards the road nervously. "I mean they cant be that far from here."

Beca reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "Then we do the same thing we did in that basement." She said and Aubrey watched the dread flash across her face.

"What? What did you do in the basement?" Aubrey asked and all eyes were on the two. Beca smirked.

"We got dirty."

XXXXXX

They had been walking for over an hour, their weapons ready, their movement steady and swift. The sun would be setting in a few hours and they knew they needed to be on the other side of the hoard before that happened.

Aubrey hadn't taken the news of what they would have to do to get through it, very well and Chloe had to follow after her as she moved off into he woods and emptied her stomach.

"She used to have an issue with stress vomiting. I guess that brought it back." Chloe said, a look of guilt on her face as a very pale looking Aubrey walked back to them.

Now as she walked, she was trying to convince herself that if Chloe could do it, she could do it. And if she wanted to survive, she really had no choice. Even so, she wasn't looking forward to the first creature they ran into.

"We are going to need to find chickens somewhere." Jesse spoke, trying to keep their very tense walk semi lighthearted.

"I miss scrambled eggs. And Beca can make a mean omelet."

Chloe smiled at the now blushing girl. "Beca, you can cook?" she asked.

"It was a hobby." She shrugged. "Really the only thing I could make well, was an omelet."

"Not true, you could make Chicken Alfredo like nobodies business." He said before leaning into Chloe. "She even made the noodles, from scratch. Sauce too."

Chloe smiled and looked at Beca who was blushing furiously well as glaring at Jesse.

"Sounds yummy, maybe we will have to scrounge up the ingredients somehow, and you can cook for me." Chloe said sweetly as she bumped shoulders with the shorter girl.

Beca smiled at her, and looked away. "Maybe."

Jesse chuckled and nudged Chloe. "You make her nervous." He said and Chloe laughed as Beca reached behind her and slapped the back of his head.

Stacie and Aubrey laughed at them as they lead the way. It was almost too normal. Walking like this, joking, laughing.

It was nice. It was a relief, and they all knew they needed it. They had fallen silent again, all with small smiles on their faces as they walked.

It was Beca who heard it first and immediately shot her arm out, knocking Chloe back into Jesse.

"What the hell?" Chloe asked as she caught her balance.

It was then they saw the creature, coming at them alarmingly fast from Beca's left, out of the trees.

"Beca!" Stacie said and Beca looked in time to see Stacie throw the machete. She caught it and took a few steps forward, meeting the creature a few feet before it reached them, and throwing all of her weight into her swing , hitting it in the neck and cutting its head off.

It rolled to a stop a few feet from Jesse and they all watched as Beca stepped aside, letting its body hit the ground with a thud.

She let out a breath and looked at them."He came from that way, I wonder if the hoard maybe heard something and went in that direction." She said as she knelt down and stabbed the machete into the ground before rolling the body onto its back.

Aubrey stepped back, turning a nasty shade of green as Beca took the machete and stabbed it into its stomach, ripping it open.

"Okay, who's first?" She asked and Chloe, Jesse and Stacie all reluctantly stepped toward her. Aubrey however didn't budge.

"Bree, come on." Stacie said holding her hand out.

"No, I cant." She shook her head, her eyes wide as she looked to see Jesse reach into the torn stomach and pull out a handful of blood and guts, smearing it on his shirt.

"Bree, you have too," Chloe said dropping to her knees beside the body.

She shook her head. "No, really, -I cant- I cant do it." She said, her eyes filling with tears. "Please don't make me do it?"

Beca watched her step back again, and she was worried she was about to run. "Bree, its okay," she said, I have an idea."

They all watched as Beca opened Jesses back pack and pulled out one of his shirts. "What if I put it on this? And then on you?"

Aubrey didn't speak, though they could see she was listening.

"Okay?" Beca asked.

"I don't want it on my skin..."she said quietly and Chloe felt her heart wasn't like Aubrey. She didn't backdown from much, so for her to be this adamant, it must be big to her.

Beca thought for a moment. "Okay, Okay, I have an idea."

XXXXX

Beca stepped back, and they all looked to see her work. Aubrey wore one of Jesses long sleeved shirts, covered in blood. Her pants were smeared as well but not as bad. her head however, was completely covered in another shirt. Only her eyes were visible, as Beca had wrapped the shirt in such a way that it covered her hair. The sleeves were tied around the back of her head and she could see through the small gap made from the neck hole. Aside from that, her face was covered and the shirt was covered in blood.

"Very nice." Stacie said. Beca made sure she didn't put any blood where Aubrey's nose and mouth were, so she didn't have to smell it.

"Thank you, Beca." Aubrey said. "I'm sorry, for-"

"Its okay, Aubrey." She said lifting a hand to stop her. "I understand."

She couldn't see her face, but she could see the ay Aubrey was thanking her with her eyes.

"Alright, shall we?" Stacie said and they all nodded, following after her, towards the cabin.

After they had been walking for a while, Chloe spoke softly to Beca.

"Thank you for that. Bree usually isn't so hesitant about these things so it must-"

"Chlo," Beca cut her off gently. "Its really okay. We all have out limits. If being covered in creature guts is her limit, than that is her I get it. If we had enough clothes, I would say we should all do that." She said. "Definitely more sanitary." She chuckled.

Chloe smiled. "You mean, you don't like this look on me?" She asked motioning to the red smears on her face.

Beca laughed. "Oh forgive me. What with the apocalypse and all, I'm not up to date with the new methods of contouring."

Chloe laughed and bumped her shoulder against Beca's. "Still. thank you for doing that for her."

Beca smiled. "Anytime."

XXXXXX

They had walked a few miles, when Stacie held up a hand, halting them. "We are back to the hill." She said.

They slowly walked up beside her. The hoard didn't seem to have followed them far. The valley below was still crawling with them.

Chloe felt a hand grab hers and squeeze and she looked to see Aubrey next to her. Her green eyes wide, and scared. She squeezed back.

"Are you sure this will work?" She asked, her voice trembling.

Beca was quiet for a second."It worked the first time." She said.

"Now or never."Stacie said."Everyone hands on your weapons."

They all readied themselves, before stepping out of the trees, in a single file line and headed down the hill.

Stacie lead them, with Beca and Chloe behind her, and Aubrey and Jesse in the back. Aubrey still held Chloe's hand tightly.

They all held their breath as they reached the hoard, and Stacie stepped into the mass.

They made it about six feet deep, before a loud snarl echoed around them and they turned to see the wide, terrified eyes of Aubrey, face to face with a creature.

A/N: I mean, y'all didn't think they were in the clear did you? NOPE. Time to do some walking through this apocalypse! PLEASE review? I love hearing from you guys! What do you think is going to happen?


	35. Blood and water

Aubreys chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes wide and locked onto the empty, bloodshot eyes that bore into hers. She knew it could smell her, somehow, it could smell her. She wasnt covered enough, like the others. Beca had tried to help her, tried to make her comfortable, and that was going to get her killed.

Blue. That was all she could seem to focus on. The creatures eyes, were blue.

It got right up to her face, aloud snarl alerting the hoard around her. The roar of all of them was deafening but they hadn't caught her scent. Not like this one had. Her eyes closed, and she squeezed the hand in hers, it being the only way she could think to communicate. What she was communicating? She had no idea. Goodbye maybe?

It was in those few seconds, after closing her eyes, that it grew quiet again. Aside from the barely audible rumble of the hoard around her. She opened her eyes, letting out a breath as the creature in front of her, was slowly lowered to the ground. Chloe pulling her blade out of the back of its head.

She let out a few shuddering breaths as Chloe slowly stood, wiping the blood from her blade across Aubreys shirt, trying to cover more of her scent.

The blonde nodded, her eyes full of tears as Chloe took a breath and they began walking again, unable to react in any other way, less they wanted to alert the hoard, again.

She hadn't felt Chloe release her hand, she didn't feel her move around the creature. Now, as they walked and she stared at the back of the girls head, she couldn't help the emotions that hit her.

Chloe, the soft, sweet girl that she had risked her life protecting, from the living and the dead, was now the one protecting her. She was covered, head to toe in creature blood, and guts and barely flinched. She wasn't the girl Aubrey had known her to be. She was stronger. She wasn't fearless, but she was definitely no longer the skittish, nervous girl she used to be. She didn't spare a second thought, stabbing the creature in the head, silently dropping its body to the ground and walking away. Saving her life. All of their lives.

She was proud of her. And ashamed of herself. She was better than this. She was stronger than this. She couldn't afford to be the weakest in the group. She couldn't bare it. She wouldn't be able to sleep at night, knowing she was the one, that cried, that couldn't handle a little blood. Of course she could.

This was the apocalypse, and she was Aubrey refused to let it break her. Not now, not after she had already come so far. After they had all come so far.

And she sure as hell wasn't going to be the one that got her friends killed because of her own fears. They handled it. She would too.

She took a breath and squeezed Chloe's hand again. She felt the girl return the gesture and carefully, pulled them to a stop.

Beca looked back in confusion, as Stacie and Jesse nearly ran into them.

"I wont risk your safety." She said in hushed voice that carried to all of them, but didn't alert the hoard. Chloe looked at her in concern, as she reached over and took the blade from her hand.

"Bree," Stacie started, but the girl had already stepped away, stabbing the knife into the back of a creatures head. They all instantly moved around her, creating a circle as she lowered it to the ground.

Chloe felt a rush of pride, as she looked to see Aubrey pull the shirt from her head, and smear fresh blood on her face. she pulled her hair back, tying it with one of the few ties she had on wrist, and pushed more blood back over her hair. She grimaced, and felt her stomach churn but she shook it away.

A few moments later, she stood. They looked to see her more fully covered in blood, handing Chloe her knife.

"It smelled me. More would be able too. I couldn't let that happen." She whispered and they all nodded, small smiles of encouragement and pride on their faces.

"You've got this." Jesse said gently reaching up and squeezing her arm.

"Lets do this." Beca said and turned, leading them through the hoard. Untouched.

XXXXXX

Stacie felt the relief flood her system, as they left the hoard, and reached the river. They stayed silent, until they were a fairly good distance away from the dead, and when they saw the river, she could see the tension begin to leave the group.

"Is this it? Is this the same river that is near your cabin?" Chloe asked as they walked along side was deep, and the water was rapid.

Stacie nodded. "It is." She smiled.

"Thank god." Jesse sighed. "Come on lets find a calm spot and get cleaned up."

It took nearly an hour of walking and it had to be nearly midnight, when they finally reached a calm spot in the river.

"Maybe we should wait until morning?" Aubrey asked as a chill ran through her. It was cold now that the sun was down and she knew the river would be even colder.

"Are you sure?" Beca asked. "You don't want to get cleaned up?"

Aubrey looked at herself, then the water. "I don't think its a good idea. The water will be too cold. Maybe it would be safer to sleep this way, nothing will bother us like this." She said motioning to herself.

Beca and Chloe nodded. "She is right." Chloe said lowering down to sit against a large bolder on the edge of the river.

Beca followed after her, taking off her back pack and opening it. She pulled out some water and food as everyone else got comfortable.

"Ill start a small fire." Jesse said, gathering some sticks and dried moss.

It wasn't long before they were warming their hand, their bellies full of dried meat and water.

Chloe and Aubrey drifted off first, each with their heads resting on Beca and Stacie. Jesse smiled as he sprawled out as well.

"Think we are smelly enough to all sleep at the same time?" Beca chuckled and Jesse yawned.

"I think if we reek enough to walk through a hoard, we can all get a few hours of sleep unbothered." Stacie said as she shuffled down, barely disturbing Aubrey's sleep to lie beside her.

Beca smiled as Aubrey curled into her. "She surprised me today." She whispered and Jesse propped his head up, looking at the sleeping blonde.

"Yeah, me too. I think it really scared her, when that creature smelled her. Sucks that that is how it happened, but I think she will be okay." He said.

"She was exhausted." Stacie whispered as she moved a stiff blood dried strand of hair out of the blondes face.

Beca nodded. "She had an emotional day. Makes sense she would be drained. She need the sleep." She said running her fingers through Chloe's hair. "We all do."

Stacie sighed and nodded, as she got comfortable. "Yeah, on that note. Try to get some rest guys. We should reach my cabin by early evening tomorrow." She said and Beca and Jesse looked at each other with small smiles.

"Night, Stace." Beca said as she gently lifted Chloe's head and moved down next to her. She didn't stir as Beca got comfortable and it wasn't long before all five of them were asleep.

XXXXXX

Chloe was the first to wake the next morning and she gently pressed her lips to a clear spot on Beca's cheek to wake her up. Two blue eyes opened and looked up at her.

"Hey sleepy. I thought you might want to get an early start today?" She asked and Beca let her eyes drift away from Chloe's as she stretched.

Chloe watched with a smile for a moment, before Beca winced and her face turned to a look of pain.

"Beca?" She asked worriedly as the younger girl sat up. "What's wrong?"

"My arm." She said reaching down and grabbing the hem of her dirty shirt and pulled it off.

Chloe averted her gaze as she was left in just her bra, as she examined her arm.

"Chloe?"

She turned and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"You don't have to look away." She smirked. "You've seen me like this before."

"Sorry, I didn't want to assume." Chloe said scooting closer and looking at her stitches. Then gently lifted her arm and looked at the ones on the other side.

"They look okay. But we should probably wash could still get irritated."

Beca nodded and pulled her legs up, unlacing her boots and pulling them off as Chloe gently woke the others, not wanting to startle them.

It wasn't long before they were all in the river. They decided it would be a good idea to undress completely and wash out their clothes as much as they could. They had spare clothes, luckily, so they were able to change when they finished washing in the river. Their other clothes hung on tree branches, drying in the sun.

Beca was lacing her boots back up, her damp curls falling over one shoulder, when Stacie approached her. They weren't able to layer their clothes as they had been, seeing as they didn't have much left. This left them a little more exposed than they liked, but they didn't have much of a choice. Stacie and Chloe were left in tank tops, their arms completely exposed until their shirts dried.

Beca wore a tshirt and jeans. She wasnt thrilled about having her stitches exposed, but knew her shirt needed to be clean or it would likely cause an infection.

She looked up at the taller brunette. "What's up?"

"I thought you and I could go hunting? We need some fresh meat and this is a pretty unpopulated area. There is bound to be some good game here."

Beca finished her boots and Stacie reached a hand out helping her up. "Thanks. Yeah that sounds like a good idea." She said grabbing her holster and reattaching it to her thigh. She looked over to where Chloe was organizing their packs, making room and tossing empty bottles to Aubrey to fill with water while Jesse boiled water they had already collected.

"We will be back."Beca said walking over to the redhead and Chloe stood up, reaching around to hold the back of Beca's neck as she gave her a soft kiss.

"Be careful, love." She said and pulled back.

Beca smiled, her cheeks flushed, still getting used to the affection she received from Chloe.

"I will, you too." She said leaning in for another kiss as Stacie knelt down beside Aubrey, doing the same.

Jesse smiled sadly, and continued to boil the water. "Be safe girls." He said as they walked away, Stacie slinging her bow over her shoulder.

"You too." Beca called as they walked into the trees.

They were a few yards away when Stacie spoke.

"He likes her." She said, keeping her eyes forward as she walked. Beca glanced at her, unsure of she heard her right.

When she realized she did she nodded slowly. "Yeah, he does."

Stacie nodded. "I like her, lot. But I know Jesse has been around her longer."

Beca sighed softly. "Only by a couple days." She said. "And hey, you shouldn't worry." She said.

Stacie stiffened. "Who said I was worried?" She asked.

"You wouldn't have mentioned it if you weren't." Beca said. "You see the way he looks at her, just like I do. But, she chose you." She said.

"I can see how he looks at her. Its the same way she looks at you. She wants you, and you have her. You don't need to worry about that. And while Jesse may have that kicked puppy look, he wont ever try and take her from you. He is more respectful than that." She said looking ahead of them.

Stacie smiled lightly. "Thank you Beca."

She nodded. "Anytime." She smiled. "You two are good together."

"You and Chloe too." Stacie said. "From the moment you guys took me in, I could see it. You just fit together."

beca blushed. "Ive never felt like this, with anyone." She said. "She is special."

Stacie looked down with a smile. "Yeah. They both are."

XXXXXX

"Here let me help you with that." Jesse walked over to Chloe as she tried to reach one of the shirts that he slung over a tall branch.

She stepped back as he pulled it down, caressing it in his fingers. "Not quite dry yet." He said handing to her.

She took it. "Yeah, I was going to move it, the sun is brighter over there now." she pointed and Jesse nodded pulling off the rest of the clothes and handing them to her as Aubrey walked up.

"Last bottle." She said holding a water bottle with river water in it.

"Cool. So thats what-"

"Thirteen bottles." Aubrey nodded handing it to him so he could boil it.

"Perfect." He said, sitting down and pouring it into the metal tin they used to purify the water.

Aubrey turned and followed after Chloe, helping her to hang them on a new branch.

"I cant wait to get to the cabin." She said as she straightened out Beca's ripped jeans.

Aubrey let out a breath. "Me either. It will be nice to have a place, again." She said as she threw a shirt over the branch. "These should be dry in the next hour."

"Yeah, hopefully they are back soon, with food. Then we can head out." Chloe said standing back and inspecting her work before they both turned and walked back to sit with Jesse.

It was nearly two hours later, when Stacie and Beca walked back through the trees.

Chloe who had packed the dry clothes into the pack, as well as the water, shot up from where she sat. They figured they would have been back a lot sooner.

"Thank god, we thought you might have gotten lost or something."Chloe said as she approached them.

"Sorry, we couldn't get anything. We were trying to not come back empty handed." she said and Chloe could hear the disappointment in her voice.

Stacie set her bow down in frustration as Aubrey approached her.

"Its okay, you aren't going to get something every time." The blonde said gently, reaching up to move Stacies hair back, but she moved away from her and walked toward the river.

Aubrey watched her go, her brow furrowed in confusion. She looked at Beca. "Did I do something?" She asked, rubbing her hand on her jeans, almost nervously.

Beca shook her head. "No. She is just frustrated. We lost two deer. One of her arrows snapped. It was just a bad hunting day."

Aubrey nodded and looked over to where Stacie was knelt by the river, rinsing her hands in the water. She let out a breath and walked over to her.

"Stace?" She asked softly, kneeling next to her. Stacie sighed and looked at her.

"Hey," She said just as softly, as she dropped down to sit on the edge of the river. Aubrey gave a tight smile and sat as well.

"I'm sorry, for that." Stacie said motioning behind her. "I wasn't trying to take my frustrations out on you."

Aubrey shrugged. "You stepped away from me, Stacie. I wouldn't consider that taking your frustration out on me." She said reaching over slowly, taking her hand.

Stacie squeezed it. "Still, Im sorry."

Aubrey smiled lightly. "I don't want an apology. A kiss wouldn't hurt though." She said and Stacie smiled leaning toward her. Aubrey smiled into the kiss, feeling her stomach flutter. She didn't know it when Stacie first joined them, that she would end up falling hard for her. But she wasn't complaining.

XXXXXX

"Here, you need some water."

Chloe looked up, to see Beca holding an open water bottle out to her. They had been walking for what seemed like hours, it was a particularly humid day, and she was already exhausted. She nodded and took the bottle drinking a few gulps before handing it back. They stayed along the rivers edge, as Stacie instructed. She knew at what point in the river she needed to veer off toward the cabin. The terrain was a little rough, and slippery in a lot of places, they didn't realize this was going tot turn into a hike. But the end result would hopefully be worth it.

Beca had already slipped once, and was limping, from where she smashed her shin on a rock. She refused to stop though, knowing they would be getting there soon and not wanting to waste any more time than necessary.

It was when Chloe stepped on a rock, not realizing how slick it was going to be, and nearly fell straight into the swiftly moving river, that Beca stopped.

They were sitting a few yards away from the river, taking a break, letting Chloe collect herself and snack on the few piece of meat they had left.

"How far are we?" Jesse asked taking the water Aubrey offered him.

Stacie looked at him, then their surroundings. "We should be there in the next hour or so."

This seemed to brighten everyone's mood, and Chloe stood up. "Are we ready then?"

"Are you?" Beca asked standing as well. Chloe nodded excitedly and Beca went to grab the bag she had been carrying when Stacie picked it up.

"I got it." She said. "How's your leg?"

"Just a bruise, I'm sure. Ill be fine. Thank you though." She motioned to the bag.

Stacie nodded and walked back toward the river. They would be there soon and they were all beyond ready.

XXXXXX

When Stacie slowed, and veered off the path they had been walking they all felt their stomach erupt in butterflies. They would be there soon.

About a hundred and fifty yards from the river, they could see a clearing. Just a small one, and Beca and Chloe looked at each other and smiled.

"Get your weapons ready, just in case." Stacie said softly and they all did as they were told, all taking in their surroundings.

"It looks deserted out here." Beca said as they walked. The ground hadn't been disturbed, if the moss coverage was anything to go by. Nothing seemed to have been moved as it might have if someone was living in the area. Sticks that could have been used for fire, dried leaves. It was all untouched.

As they got closer, they could see a small cabin come into view. By the time they were just a few yards from it, they could see Stacie relax. "It looks empty, guys. I think its too far out for anyone to have taken it." She smiled.

Beca and Chloe stopped, looking at the small one story cabin. It was dark, and looked abandoned.

"Lets split up, and make sure." Jesse said. "Aubrey you and Stacie check in side. Chloe and Beca, check the front, I'llcheck the back." He said.

They all nodded and split into their respected directions.

Minutes later, Aubrey was standing on the front porch, softly calling for them. It was clear.

Beca and Chloe stepped onto the wooden porch, followed by Jesse and walked into the cabin. It was dark, and dusty, and perfectly spotless.

Jesse closed the door, and Stacie opened the curtains that covered the large front bay window, flooding it with light. They all stood in the front entrance, looking at the living room with two large couches, they kitchen with non perishable food in the cabinets. The many ways they could protect themselves.

They looked from the room, to each other.

"Welcome home." Stacie smiled.

XXXXXX

It took a few hours, but they were able to completely surround the cabin with noise traps. Fishing wire, and aluminum cans, were strung around the parameter of the cabin. Aubrey and Chloe collected wood for a fire, while Beca and Jesse used their knowledge of homemade alarms to protect the doors and windows and Stacie went out hunting again. It was nearly dusk when she returned and Beca had looked out the kitchen window in time to see her dragging a small deer toward the cabin. She smiled and called for Jesse.

They had debated about it, but after much reassurance from Stacie that they were likely too far out to be seen, they started a fire in the fire place. That is where they cooked the deer meat. By the time they finished eating, they were all practically passed out on the couches. Warm, fed, protected from the elements, as well as any outside threats.

They felt safer than they had in a very long time. "Chloe, Beca you can take the bedroom in the back. Jess, you can have the one across from it, and Aubrey and I will take that one." Stacie nodded at the door that was connected to the living room.

They all nodded tiredly, and stood up to go to their rooms, and Beca stopped. "Thank you, Stacie. For opening your home to us." She smiled as Chloe took her hand.

"I couldn't have got us here with out you. All of you." Stacie said as she too stood up.

Beca smiled softly, as Chloe tugged on her hand. "Goodnight." She said and everyone said their good nights as Jesse checked the doors and windows again before going into his room for the night.

XXXXXX

Chloe fell onto the bed, and moaned as she sunk into it. "Oh my god. This bed is so soft." She said. "Beca, come here, feel this bed."

Beca chuckled. "I'm going to get out of these dirty clothes first." She said.

Chloe lifted up onto her elbows. "We don't have pajamas." She said.

Beca nodded. "I know, but, I don't want to get into a clean bed with these gross clothes have tank tops and some of Jesses shirts. They are long enough to cover us." She said pulling her shirt off and Chloe smiled at her as she stood up.

"True." She said. "Or," she marked playfully as she walked toward Beca, "We could just sleep,in nothing." She winked as she reached her and Beca's face flushed.

"I'm kidding love." Chloe chuckled, seeing her sudden panic. She leaned in, kissing Beca softly before pulling back and taking her shirt off. Beca shook her head at Chloe's antics and pulled off her own shirt.

Soon enough they were both crawling under the soft blankets, in clean tank tops, ready to snuggle up and fall asleep on a soft bed.

They relaxed under the heavy blanket, listening to the crickets outside the window, both feeling the days exhaustion hitting them. However, Chloe wasn't quite ready to sleep and she lifted up, leaning over Beca and kissing her softly.

The smaller of the two smiled into the kiss as she returned it. "What was that for?"

"I just really wanted to kiss you." Chloe said as she leaned back.

Beca turned onto her side, so she faced Chloe. "Yeah?"

"Of course." Chloe said softly. "I always want to kiss you."

Beca could feel the blush creeping up her neck and she was glad it was dark. Chloe had seen her blush far too many times.

"Do it again." She whispered, feeling a bout of confidence hit her. Chloe chuckled and instantly moved in, pressing her lips to Beca's and felt her body get hot, as Beca returned the kiss very enthusiastically.

They were warm, they were safe in the cabin and Chloe couldn't help but let herself get lost in the kiss. Reaching up, she cupped Beca's jaw, holding her in place as she ran her tongue along her lower lip. Beca's body instinctively moved closer to Chloe as she opened her mouth and felt Chloe's tongue against her own. Both of their bodies erupting in goosebumps.

It wasn't long before Chloe was rolling her onto her back and moving on top of her, their kiss deepening as Beca opened her legs, giving Chloe more room and the redhead moaned into her mouth when a small hand tangled into her hair, pulling her closer.

Chloe moved her lips down over Beca's neck and Beca took the chance to catch her breath, the feeling of Chloe's lips on her neck and the hand that was currently moving under her shirt was a lot. Not that she wasn't enjoying it because she most certainly was. However, she had never been in this position before. She and Chloe had kissed and cuddled but this was the furthest they had gone and she would be lying if she said she wasn't freaking out.

It was when Chloe's hips rolled down into hers, causing one of the most incredible feelings she had ever felt and a gasp to leave her mouth, that her eyes open and she reached down, grabbing Chloe's hip, stopping her movement.

"Wait," She said breathlessly.

Chloe stopped immediately, and lifted up to look down at her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

Beca nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay, I uh-I'm sorry." She said and Chloe s brow furrowed as she carefully got back off of her. Beca instantly missed the contact and before she realized what she was doing, she sat up. Chloe sat up too and reached for her.

"Baby, what's wrong? Did I do something? Did you not want-"

"No, stop." Beca said. "Its not that, I did, I do want it. I'm just-I'm not ready." She said and looked down.

Chloe could make out her features in the little bit of moonlight coming in the window and she could see the embarrassment on her face.

"Beca, hey, look at me." She said, reaching up and taking her face turning her toward her.

"I'm not mad, love. I understand, its okay if you aren't ready. I'm sorry I got a little carried away." She said gently cupping her cheek. "I'd never rush you into anything, its perfectly fine if you aren't ready." She said and Beca looked up at her.

"You're not mad?"

Chloe leaned in and kissed her softly. "Of course not." She said. "Come on lie back down."

Beca did as she was told and soon they were face to face again.

"Thank you, for stopping me. For being honest. I'd never want you to regret anything we do together."

"I don't think I could." Beca smiled.

Chloe curled up close to her. "Get some sleep love."

Beca smiled, getting comfortable as they both drifted off. She had never felt safer, or happier than she did in this moment.

A/N: PLEASE review?! I love love LOVE hearing your thoughts and theories on this story! Thank you for reading!


	36. We found love in a hopeless place

A/N: CHAPTER INCLUDES SEXY THEMES.

Jesse sat on the old wooden front porch of the cabin. The sun hadn't fully risen, and the clearing around the cabin was layered in a dense fog. He could see the shadows of the trees that surrounded their new home. But nothing moved in them. Nothing made sound. It was too early, for even the birds to be chirping.

He sat on a wooden rocking chair, feeling the cold early morning air nip at his skin. It was a relief, from the hot humid days, and he knew that it was only a matter of days, before winter was fully upon them. He guessed it must be late November at least. In Georgia, it was hard to tell, it seemed at least nine of the twelve months were summer months.

He let the cold air fill his lungs, and closed his eyes. he had slept a few hours, but her knew that a lot needed to be done still. They needed to gather as much firewood as possible. They needed to make sure the house was secure, even more so than they already had. He wanted to explore the cellar below the house. See, if there was anything useful in it. Stacie wasnt sure what could be down there, as she had never stepped foot in it before.

She blushed as she told them the stories of how she used to be terrified of the old dark cellar. And refused to ever step down the first stair.

There had been some canned food, non perishable items that had been left in the cabin however. This was helpful, as they were low on food to begin with. He was waiting for a little more light, before he planned to head out in search of something warm for breakfast. He had peeked in on the girls, seeing all four of them were sleeping deeply. Aubrey and Stacie in one room, Beca and Chloe in another.

They were safe, warm and resting. He was happy to see them all so comfortable, able to get a good nights sleep. His own sleep had been comfortable, restful. Though he wasnt used to such comfort anymore and was up just hours later, ready to start the day.

As the birds began to wake, and started to fly and sing through the trees, he stood up and stretched, grabbing his gun and stepping off the porch. The house was quiet and dark as he slipped off into the woods.

XXXXXX

Beca woke a few hours later, to the smell of something cooking. She sat up, her eyes bleary as she tried to place the smell. After a few moments, she fell back into the comfort of the bed. This woke Chloe, who stirred lightly, before moving in closer to the brunette in search of warmth.

"What's that smell?" She asked, her voice laced with sleep. Beca grunted and she chuckled sitting up a little, to look down at her.

"Becs?" She asked and Beca cracked one eye open. "Do you smell that?"

Beca nodded and rolled onto her back, stretching her arms over her head. Chloe looked down as she arched her back off the bed, trenching out her muscles. She smiled, as she fell back onto the bed.

"I don't know what it is, but it smells like breakfast." Beca sighed, her eyes drifting closed again.

Chloe nodded, "Well, we better get up then, huh?" She asked throwing the blanket off of them.

"Nooo. Its warm." Beca whined as she reached for Chloe, grabbing her hand and pulled her back down.

Chloe smiled, snuggling back into the smaller girl. "I didn't take you for the clingy, cuddly type." She chuckled, kissing Beca's temple.

She was met with two dark blue eyes, staring into her own. "Tell no one." She warned and Chloe laughed.

Beca huffed and with a playful smile, pushed Chloe onto her back, throwing her leg over her hips, straddling her.

Chloe's smile grew as she grabbed Beca's waist keeping her in place. "Will you tell?" She asked leaning over her, the confidence that Chloe knew was there, but hadn't seen, coming out.

"Maybe, what will you do to stop me?" She asked, her smile still in place as Beca leaned down further, so their was no space between them, from the waist up.

"Hmm," she hummed. "I don't know," She whispered, "What will keep you quiet?"

Chloe's smile faltered for a moment, before she leaned up the few inches separating their faces and captured her lips. Beca wasn't shocked, and she didn't pull away. This is exactly what she was hoping for and she kissed back, with fervor. Pushing Chloe back into the pillows as she felt the girl below her grip her hip tightly with one hand while the other came up to snake around her neck and hold her in place.

It didn't take long for them to grow impatient with the innocent kisses and Chloe ran her tongue over a plump lower lip, instantly being met with a equally enthusiastic open mouth, their tongues battling for only a moment, before Beca let out the smallest sound of satisfaction. Small, but definitely not missed by Chloe, who slid her hands up, holding her securely, just over barely protruding ribs, and lifted her hips rolling them over so she was now on top.

The kiss was only broken for a second, a few gasping breaths being the only sound in the quiet room as Chloe situated herself so she was laying comfortably between Beca's legs, though being careful to not lay on her too heavily.

Beca instantly reached up, sliding her hands into thick red curls,pulling her back into the kiss, her thighs hugging Chloe's hips snugly, enjoying the pressure and the warmth it brought.

Chloe herself could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she braced herself up with one arm, so she wasn't laying on her completely, giving her anchor to kiss her thoroughly before moving her lips down across her jaw and to her slim neck.

Beca turned her head, letting Chloe do as she pleased to her neck, no part of her wanting it to stop. She felt two kiss women lips close over her pulse point and soon after, they curved into a smile.

"Are you nervous?" She breathed against her neck and Beca nodded. "Your pulse is going crazy." She said reaching up to brush her thumb across the spot on her neck, feeling it beating hard.

Beca sighed, as her lips returned, enjoying the feeling of her pulse against them. She didn't know how far this was going to go, as she and Beca never actually talked about it. She couldn't say she was experienced, though she wasn't inexperienced either.

All she knew is she wanted it and she hoped Beca felt the same way. She nipped at her neck teasingly and was rewarded with an involuntary lift of Beca's hips beneath her.

She moaned against her neck, the feeling of Beca's body moving against hers making her momentarily forget that this was the first time they had done anything like this and she smashed their lips together again, the roughness of the kiss completely ignored as Chloe rolled her hips back down against her.

That was when Beca's hand shot down and gripped her waist tightly, her body stilling.

"Wait," She gasped, breaking away from Chloe's hungry lips.

Chloe stopped immediately and lifted off her just enough to look down at her.

"I'm sorry, was that-"

"No, don't." Beca said hurriedly. "Don't say sorry, I liked it. I just-Are you sure you want this? Now?"

Chloe smiled gently at her and ran her hand over her face, cupping her chin and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"I am, if you are. But if not, we can stop now." She said lovingly.

Beca let out a breath, looking up at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and feeling her stomach flutter at the thought that this woman wanted her. Not Iike she had a lot of options, in the world the way it was. But she pushed that from her mind. If Chloe didn't want her, she wouldn't be in this position. She wouldn't by under her, both breathing heavily, their hearts beating almost painfully.

She reached up, tracing ear fingers over the soft skin around her eyes, until she slid down over her cheek and traced her lips. "I'm ready." She whispered.

"I want you." She said and Chloe smiled as Beca leaned up, pulling her back down into another heated kiss.

She let out a small whimper, pressing their bodies together, as they kissed more passionately than she could have though possible. Beca's hands in her hair, their hearts beating against one another.

They kissed until Chloe slid her hand down and under the hem of Beca's shirt, over her small, warm stomach, over her ribs and without hesitation, firmly began to knead her beneath her shirt.

She swallowed the moan that Beca released and continued her ministrations. She didn't even feel Beca's hand leave her hair, until it was pushing between them, to barely graze the sensitive strip of sin above her panty line.

Beca smiled as she felt the muscles quiver and Chloe just barely lifted her lips.

"Can I?" Beca barely breathed as Chloe reattached her lips to her neck. She got a nod in response and her body shuddered as Beca didn't waste any time pushing passed the waistband of the old pair of pajama pants they had found in the dresser.

Beca's hand caressed her firmly, before then moving into her underwear, sliding her fingers through warmth.

"Chloe," She almost gasped, feeling how wet she was, knowing she was in the same state, but still shocked.

She felt another nod against her neck before she easily found the small bundle of nerves that ached to be touched, and firmly stroked it feeling Chloe grind down against her hand.

She smiled, feeling Chloe bite into her neck at the pleasure and a few moments later, she was rewarded with Chloe pushing her own hand between them and straight into Beca's pants, not bothering to softly caress her as Beca had done, instead going straight for what they both wanted.

Beca gasped, her head falling back as Chloe fell into a quick pace, circling her clit, as she ground herself down against Beca's hand.

"Take them off." Beca ordered and Chloe let out a breath, sitting up just enough to yank her pants and underwear off, before grabbing Beca's and pulling them down her legs.

Beca looked up at her, her eyes dark with desire as the older girl leaned back over her, kissing her softly, softer than she had been. Before spreading her thighs and running her hand over her most sensitive area.

"Are you ready?" She asked nudging her chin with her nose.

"Yes," She said as Chloe gently ran her fingers over her, before entering her with two of them. Her body stiffened, the feeling being something she had never experienced and her eyes squeezed shut. Chloe saw this, and felt her heart fill with more love than she thought possible.

She didn't know that Beca was a virgin, and Beca didn't feel the need to tell her. She felt the love for the younger girl grow, as she realized Beca trusted her enough to give her this part of her.

She leaned down, kissing her eye lids. "You're okay, I'll take care of you." She said and Beca opened her eyes.

"Tell me when you're ready." She smiled gently and Beca nodded.

"Im ready, just please, go slow?"

Chloe kissed her again. "Of course." She said and leaned in more, as she very slowly, began to pump her fingers, letting Beca get used to the feeling.

her eyes closed once more and her breathing became labored.

When she relaxed, and Chloe was able to move without any resistance, she used her thumb to circle her clit and Beca gasped her back arching off the bed.

Chloe felt her own center throb with need as Beca pushed her body into her. It was as if she could read her mind, and soon she felt Beca's hand on her again.

She stroked her gently, and Chloe could feel her hesitation.

"Its okay, Beca, you don't have too,"

"I want too, I'm just not sure,"She said and Chloe smiled at the innocence of the girl below her.

"Here," She said, and after carefully pulling out of Beca, she guided her small hand to where she needed to be. "There you go, you don't have to be as gentle," She said and Beca nodded almost nervously as Chloe replaced her fingers and pushed a little harder.

Beca let out a moan that they knew could be heard through the cabin and Chloe smiled, only for it to be replaced with a moan of her own as Beca entered her, doing to her what Chloe was doing and she ground her hips down onto her hand, taking more of her fingers.

"Shit, Beca, like that," She gasped as she curled her fingers and felt Beca's body jolt below her, and she knew she hit the right spot.

What she wasn't expecting was Beca to copy her movement, and find it so easily.

It wasn't long before they were both pumping their fingers quickly, both feeling the heat in the lower bellies, the way it tightened and Chloe knew it wouldn't be long.

Sh could feel Beca tightening around her fingers and she rolled her hips, practically riding Beca's fingers, and well as pushing her own further into the girl.

"Ch-Chloe," she gasped, her free hand reaching up to grip the pillow below her head and Chloe couldn't help but look down at the beauty that was Beca. Her back arching off of the bed, the tank top that she hadn't bothered to remove, riding up, putting her flexed abdominal muscles on display,her chest heaving, neck stretched and open for her, as she climaxed.

She felt her own orgasm hit her just seconds into Beca's, and she knew that the sight of Beca is what threw her over the edge as she bit her neck, stifling her moans her other hand shooting up to cover Beca's mouth, not wanting the others in the house to hear the girl in such a vulnerable moment. Knowing she would be embarrassed.

Beca's body collapsed onto the bed, as Chloe uncovered her mouth, her own body barely having enough strength to stay up any longer and she fell against her.

They both lie in the bed, Chloe still on top of Beca, their legs entertwined, trying to catch their breath. Chloe very gently pulled her fingers from Beca and the smaller of the two did the same.

They didn't speak, as Chloe carefully rolled off of her, and pulled the sheet up, covering their exposed lower halves.

She lay on her side, facing Beca who was staring, bleary eyed up at the ceiling.

"Beca?" She asked softly, and the girl turned her head to shook at her.

"Are you okay?"

The smallest smile curved Beca's lips. "Yeah, I'm good." She said and rolled onto her side as well.

Chloe smiled, relief flooding her. "What's going through your head?" She asked.

Beca looked down for a moment, before looking back up at her. "Just that I'm happy."

Chloe smiled wider. "Yeah?"

She nodded,"How could I not be? I have you, in this nightmare we call life, I have you. You're my light, in such a dark place. I'm lucky."

Chloe couldn't stop the flood of emotion, hearing Beca opening up the way she was and she leaned in, kissing her again. "I'm the lucky one." She said leaving another kiss on her lips.

"Thank you, for not being freaked out that I uh- that I was a virgin."

Chloe propped herself up on one elbow. "I had no reason to be. You trusted me and for that I am so grateful. Ill always take care of you."

This time, Beca was the one to lean up and steal a kiss. "Also, I am pretty sure I smell coffee. Stay here." She said and sat up, pulling her pants back on, skipping the underwear, knowing they were ruined. Beca smiled as she watched her leave the room, closing the door silently behind her.

XXXXXX

Chloe walked into the kitchen to indeed find coffee. "Oh my god, where did you find this?" She asked.

"The cellar." Aubrey said. "Turns out Stacies Mom kept a lot of non perishable things down there. Including instant coffee and a few pounds of coffee beans. Jesse has been working on grinding them." She said and Chloe grabbed two of the cups from the cabinet and poured some of the water they boiled into them before stirring in the instant coffee.

"Is that food I smell?" She asked looking over to where a pot sat.

"That would be oatmeal." Stacie said. "Its still fresh, we have already eaten. There are some granola bars too."

Chloe raised her eyes brows. "Wow, she did stay stocked, didn't she?"

Stacie nodded. "Apparently. though it makes sense. I'd never gone down there, there is canned food, and all sorts of things. I guess my whole family probably tried to keep it stocked. I guess in case the power went out or we got stranded up here or something."

Chloe nodded. "That makes sense. My family did that with our cabin too. But it's in upstate New York, so no such luck getting there."

They watched as she grabbed the coffee and some of the oatmeal and started back towards the bedroom.

"Taking her breakfast in bed?" Stacie asked and Aubrey cleared her throat. Chloe stopped, looking at them.

She could see Aubrey's warning glare, that Stacie was ignoring.

"Was the sex that good? Can't she walk?"

Chloe's face flushed crimson and Aubrey swatted Stacies arm.

The brunette laughed and Aubrey smirked. "Hush you. Chloe ignore her, she was dying to comment. Nothing will be said to Beca." She warned, looking at Stacie who held her hands up.

Chloe chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm glad you have each other." Aubrey smiled and Stacie nodded. "Same, though maybe next time you decide to get dirty, let us know and we can go for a walk? Jesse couldn't get out of here fast enough."

Chloe couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. She had noticed his absence and now she knew why he wasn't there.

"No promises." She winked as she left the kitchen.

Aubrey looked at Stacie. "You just had too, didn't you?"

She nodded proudly. "Obviously."

Aubrey shook her head in amusement. she wouldn't lie, when she first realized what was going on in the room at the end of the hall, she flushed the same color Chloe had. Jesse had made up a lame excuse about needing to go dig a hole or something and bolted from the house. They didn't hear much more, but they knew what was happening.

Aubrey looked at Stacie, seeing her relaxed, joking and carefree. They were in a place where they felt comfortable enough to do these things. They found a home, and for that, she was grateful. She was just happy, they were happy.

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW?! I could definitely use some awesome reviews from y'all! Sorry it took so long to update? I think this chapter was needed after all the shit they went through.


	37. Dads rifle

It had been nearly a week and they were doing well. Extremely well. They had brought up some of the food to keep in the cupboards. They weren't going to bed hungry, and between Jesse and Stacie, they were able to keep just enough meat in the house.

Aubrey and Chloe, and to Jesse's surprise, Beca had taken to cleaning, organizing and kind of decorating the cabin with things found in the cellar. They were doing their best to make it as homey as possible and they were all getting comfortable fast.

For the first few days, this was an unspoken concern among all of them. Getting comfortable was never a good idea. But, they couldn't help it. They were all sleeping through the nights. The days were spent making sure the cabin was well protected. Doing perimeter checks every few hours. They hadn't seen a single creature. They hadn't heard anything nearby. The woods were quiet, filled with animals, and the stream they found, had a good supply of fish. They had stocked up on water and life was almost normal.

It had been ten days. Ten glorious days, before Aubrey began to worry herself. If they had enough supplies. Food, clothes. They had woken that morning, to frost on the windows. They could see their breath and had been huddled by the fireplace, trying to keep warm. Stacie had mentioned two very small family owned convenience stores about six miles west, and Jesse jumped at the opportunity to go. He had grown restless, being in one place for over a week. He needed to do something, and this was his chance.

"You shouldn't go alone." Beca sighed as Chloe grabbed for her hands, for the third time since the discussion started. Beca didn't even pay attention, too engrossed in her argument, as the older girl tried, for the third time to rub warmth into her hands.

"Beca, I want too. I need too." Jesse argued. "Please, Ill be fine. Being stuck in this cabin with four women is driving me crazy. I could use some time alone."

Beca looked down for a moment, her brow furrowed. "I don't want you to go alone." She said again and Chloe looked at him, as did Aubrey and Stacie. It had been a back and forth for almost ten minutes.

"Come on Becs. I used to go on runs alone all the time. "

"We had my truck." Beca pointed out.

"There is nothing out here. Even if I do find something, I can defend myself. We are going to need things. We don't have enough to keep us warm."

She shook her head and they all looked back at her. "Jesse-"

He held up his hands, having had enough of this conversation. He knew Beca cared for and worried about him. However, he didn't understand why she was being so stubborn about this. She knew he would be fine. He knew this, and he knew she did as well.

"Beca, there is a chance these stores haven't been cleaned out. And if thats true, they could be stocked with things we are going to need. Food, maybe even medicine. Chloe was coughing last night." He said glancing at Chloe who's cheeks turned red and she looked down.

Jesse knew she didn't like the attention being directed to her, but ignored it. "Vitamins, maybe even some warm clothes. We need sweaters, gloves. things to keep us warm. Your lips are literally blue." He pointed out and Chloe rubbed her hands harder over Becas.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you." She spoke softly and Jesse smiled. "I know Beca. But, I will be okay. Six miles is nothing. If I left in the next hour, I could be back by nightfall. Tomorrow morning at the latest."

It was quiet for a moment, before she let out a breath and looked back at him. "You really want to go by yourself?"

He nodded. "It would be faster if I went alone. And knowing you are all safe here, would help. I will only have myself to worry about, and if I encounter anything that I don't think I can handle I will avoid it as much as I can. I promise."

Twenty minutes later, Beca was helping Jesse put on the backpack she had packed with food, water and extra clothes. "I put some of the matches in here. If it gets to be an hour past sundown, stop and make a fire. Don't you dare try to get back here and end up freezing to death." She said.

He nodded as he turned around. "Here," Chloe said as she walked over carrying a large thermos they found in a cupboard. "Beca requested you have lots of hot, instant, coffee to keep you alert and warm." She said handing it to him. He smiled at her, as he took it and Chloe returned the gesture as she stepped back.

"Knife," Aubrey said looking at the knife on his hip. "Gun," He opened his jacket revealing the pistol in his belt.

"I'll need to see if I can find any ammunition. We are getting low."

Stacie nodded. "We are going to need to get better with the machetes. Eventually, there wont be any ammunition left to find."

"All set?" Beca asked taking a breath and Jesse nodded.

"Ill walk you to the perimeter." She said and tuned to Chloe, quickly kissing her lips.

"Don't be too long out there." Chloe smiled as she pulled her back in for another kiss, their lips felt good against each other. Warm, even though they were both cold.

"I wont." She said squeezing her hand as Jesse said his goodbyes to Aubrey and Stacie. He turned to Chloe last.

"See you soon Chloe. Keep her warm." He smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

"Ive got her. You take care of yourself, and hurry back home" She said. "Don't make us worry."

He chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

Chloe walked them to the door and waited with her arms folded over her chest, trying to keep warm as she watched them leave the porch and walk into the woods toward where they set the perimeter.

When they were out of sight, she went back in and joined Stacie and Aubrey by the fire.

XXXXXX

"I'm going to be okay, Bec." Jesse said softly as they walked.

"I know. I just... everything is so perfect right now, it feels like this is foolish. Walking out of safety, just in case there are some supplies half a dozen miles away."

He nodded. "I know, but I'm not wrong you know. We might really need some of the stuff. I mean, if there are vitamins, we could use them. And cough medicine..." He trailed off.

"She is trying." Beca said.

"Beca, I know what Luke did when she was sick last year. I'm not like that and you know it. I don't want her to be afraid of me, or you or anyone if she gets sick again. If I can find something to help her I want too. And any of us could get sick. I'm going to be fine. Ill be back tomorrow at the latest."

She nodded. "I know."

He smiled and bumped her shoulder with his. "I love this you know. You talking again. I love hearing you talk. Even if it is to argue with me." He winked.

She chuckled, watching her breath expel in front of her. "Well, get used to it." She said.

"Oh I don't think that will be a problem. Seeing you happy like this is all I wanted. I am glad Chloe is helping you with that."

She nodded. "I really care about her." She said, looking at the ground as they walked. They were nearing the makeshift fence that doubled as a noise trap.

"I know you do. And she cares about you. A lot. I would almost go as far as to say, she loves you Beca."

Two blue eyes shot up to stare at her oldest friend. "What?"she asked. "Me? No, no she couldn't love-"

"Yes Beca. She could. You are not unlovable." He said. As they reached the fence.

"Do you feel the same?" He asked. She looked down.

"I don't know, I don't know what love feels like. I just know that I care for her more than anything. I'd give my life if it meant saving hers."

Jesse smiled. "Maybe think about this a little bit." He said as he threw his leg over the fence and turned toward her.

She smirked at him. "Whatever weirdo, just hurry back."

He laughed and reached for her. She easily stepped into his arms and hugged him tight.

"Don't get yourself killed, or I will find you and kill you again."

He laughed again at the nonsense she was spewing and squeezed her before letting her go. "Alright, go let Chloe warm you up." He said. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

She nodded and stood back. He turned and started through the trees. She watched him go for a moment before stepping closer to the fence.

"Hey Jess." She called and he stopped, and turned back to her.

"I don't know about all this, falling in love with Chloe business, but I do know I love you. I love you so much, you are my family. So please, be careful. I don't know what I would do... who I would be without you."

He smiled, feeling warmth spread through his cold body. "I love you too, Becs. Now go on and get warm." He said. She nodded, giving him an almost shy smile as she turned and walked back towards the cabin. He smiled after her, before turning an walking the way Stacie told him.

XXXXXX

It was nearly nightfall, Jesse was just barely reaching the first convenience store. It was just a silhouette against the sunset and he knew that he had broken his promise to Beca. He was going to be home late, and she would worry. He cursed loudly, before looking around, worried he might have alerted something. But there was nothing around. He had seen literally, nothing on his trek.

As he reached the small building he could see the door busted in, and felt his stomach drop. Someone had already been there and probably cleaned it out.

He sighed as he walked in, just barely able to see as the last of the sunset came through the windows. It had been rummaged through but there was still stuff on the shelves.

He opened his backpack, pulling out the second rolled up back inside and opened it. He quickly rummaged through what he saw, grabbing a few cans of soup, instant noodles and canned veggies. As he looked around he could tell this was one of those places you stop at as you drive through. It had souvenir items and he thanked the heavens as a rack of 'you are here' shirts and jackets came into view. He didn't even pay attention to the sizes, just grabbing as much as he could and shoved it into the bag.

As he looked around, he found a few more things. He had almost passed a shelf that had travel sized boxes of tampons and shampoos when he realized who he lived with and grabbed as much as he could.

He couldn't find anything else that would help with warmth, aside from a small packet of matches, but he sighed in relief when he found a few bottles of cough syrup as well as chapstick and cold pills on the floor next to a toppled shelf.

He was knelt down, shoving the bottles into the bag, smiling when he spotted a tube of toothpaste when he heard a noise behind him. He shot up, pulling out his gun and aiming it in a second.

His heart stopped at what he saw.

A few feet from him, pointing a rifle at him with shaking hands, was a boy.

He let out a breath. "Alright, lets take it easy." He said slowly, not knowing what this child might do. He only looked to be about eight or nine.

He said nothing, and didn't lower his gun.

"You know how to use that?" He asked, nodding towards the gun.

The boy shifted. "Yes, sir." He said and his voice wavered.

Jesse nodded a little surprised at the polite way he spoke, even as he pointed a gun at him.

"Who taught you?"

"My dad."

Jesses eyes darted around. He didn't see anyone, but he hadn't seen this boy either.

"He around?" He asked.

"No sir."

"Where is he?" He asked.

The boy was quiet for a moment. "He's dead." He said.

Jesse nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that. Are you alone?"

He nodded and Jesse slowly lowered his gun. "Tell you what. I'll put my gun away, if you do the same. I wont hurt you." he said.

The boy watched as Jesse put his gun back in its holster.

"Come on." Jesse prompted.

It took a moment, but eventually the rifle was lowered.

"Thats good." He said. "What's your name?"

He looked at Jesse cautiously. "Cody."

"Cody, I'm Jesse." He said carefully. "How long have you been alone?" He asked looking around before stepping toward him.

"I don't know. A while." He said

"Yeah? How old are you?"

"Nine."

"Okay. Uh, are you hungry? I have some food here, water?"

He shook his head. "I cant take stuff from someone I don't know." He said. "I don't have anything to give you back."

Jesse shook his head, pulling out a wrapped up piece of dried meat. "You don't have to give me anything. I want to give it to you." He said holding it out. "Go on, take it."

Cody eyed him cautiously, before reaching out and taking the strip of meat. He stepped back as he brought it up to his nose and smelled it, before biting into it.

Jesse smiled as he took another step back and took a larger bite. He wondered how long it had been since the child had eaten.

He slowly made his way over to him. "Cody, can I take this?" He asked reaching for the rifle. The boy jerked it away from him and stepped back again.

"You said I don't have to give you anything." He said.

"I don't want to keep it, I will just hold it for you. While you eat." He said. "I swear."

Cody looked at him for a moment. "It was my dads, you cant keep it."

"I wont." Jesse said. "I swear I wont. Here, I have more food." He said pulling out a small can of Vienna sausages. "I can even start a fire, and warm them up if you want?"

Cody's eyes flashed up to him. "You can start a fire?"

He nodded. "Sure I can. And its getting colder, so it would be nice and warm. If you follow me outside, we can find a place to make a fire and ill cook these for you."

"Okay." He said, and slowly handed over the rifle. Jesse took it and slung it over his shoulder. "Alright then, lets go." He said.

It wasn't long before the two were sitting beside a small fire, a stick with small Vienna sausages held over the flame a Cody drank greedily from the water supply he had.

"How long have you been out here, Cody?"

"Since the beginning." He said. "My dad and I have been alone, walking, walking, walking. " he said as Jesse offered him a cooked sausage. He took it and bit into it eagerly.

"Then, we got caught in a huge group of the dead people. My Dad pushed me, hard and I fell down this steep hill. I heard him scream when I got to the bottom, and then he was falling too."

Jesse looked down. "I'm sorry Cody."

He shrugged. "My Dad said, that one day he would die too. And I would have to be strong alone. So I am." He said.

Jesse nodded. It was silent for a while as tho boy ate and Jesse sat in deep thought. It was a few minutes before he looked at the underweight child a few feet from him.

"You don't have to be alone, Cody. You are just a kid. I think your Dad would want you to be with people."

Cody looked at him. "What people?"

"Me, and my family? We have a cabin. Deep in the woods. No dead people are around it. It has food, and water and beds. I think you should come with me."

The boy looked unsure. "Are there other kids?"

"No, it would just be you. But thats okay." Jesse said. He looked apprehensive, and Jesse wondered if he would go for it. He thought he would jump at the opportunity, seeing as he was only nine years old. The thought of being alone in this world at such a young age made his insides hurt. It was a terrifying thought.

"Cody, don't you want a place to live? Food and water?" He asked. "Do you want to be alone?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't like being alone, but my Dad said I would be alone if he died."

"But you don't have to be, Cody. You can come stay with us. And we can take care of you." He said. "My friends, they are very kind people."

He watched as the child thought about it. It wasn't long before all the sausages were gone and he was yawning. "Get some sleep, I'll watch over you, and tomorrow you can decide if you want to come home with me, okay?"

"You'll make sure nothing gets me?" He asked and Jesse finally heard the small, unsure voice of a child come through.

"I will make sure nothing gets you." He promised. "Got some sleep."

Cody nodded and laid down, curling up into a ball to stay warm and Jesse watched as he fell asleep.

He had no idea he would find a child on this trip to find supplies. But he couldn't just leave him by himself. He knew the girls wouldn't be angry if he brought him home, he was just a kid. He knew for a fact Beca would ring his neck if she knew he found a child then left him alone in the woods.

He hoped he could gain his trust enough for him to go with him. After aa few minutes, he opened his bag and pulled out one of the jackets he found, draping it over the small body curled next to him.

A/N: A lot of you wanted me to give Jesse a love interest but, I feel like that is too easy. And predictable. This to me, is more real, and makes sense. It doesn't have to be a love interest and Jesse isn't suffering. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW?!


	38. Bath day

Beca's eyes stayed locked in place, on the faucet of the bathtub. Nothing came from it, as she sat in the half full tub, her knees pulled up to her chest.

"He is okay, Beca."

She glanced to her left, as Chloe approached, another pot of water in her hands. She poured it into the bath and Beca shivered as the hot water mixed with the cooling water already in the tub.

"Come on, let's wash up. Aubrey is already warming your rinsing water."

Stacie and Aubrey had gone out early, and collected as much water as they could, and added it to their supply. Then, they all took turns bathing. It sounded weird, hearing the words Aubrey spoke as she entered the house.

"It's too cold to bathe in the river, we will have to designate a weekly bath day. That day is today, we could all use a good scrub."

"Bath day." Beca said under her breath and Chloe chuckled as she knelt beside the tub. Her own hair was down and damp as it dried from her own bath.

"Sounds odd. But the hot water sure feels good." She said dipping a cup from the kitchen into the water and pouring it over Beca's hair.

Beca didn't protest to Chloe's decision to wash her hair. It was nice, and she had helped Chloe with her own hair as well. She scrubbed her body as well, seeing the bar of soap was very small and wondered how they would clean themselves when it was gone.

Once she was all bubbled up, Chloe stood and left the bathroom. Beca sighed as she continued to scrub, carefully cleaning around her stitches. Stacie had mentioned taking them out that day. She was more than happy to get them out of her arm. Being they were on both sides, as the bullet went straight through. She was tired of pulling at them every time she lifted her arms.

Chloe returned soon enough with another pot and Beca carefully stood up, watching Chloe's eyes drift down her body as she did.

"Hey creeper." She chuckled and Chloe looked back at her eyes.

"Sorry, can't help it. You are beautiful." She winked. Beca rolled her eyes and Chloe stopped in front of her.

"Alright, let's try to rinse you with one pot, so you don't freeze like Stacie did. She said. Beca nodded eagerly. Aubrey had used to much water too fast rinsing Stacie and didn't get her completely rinsed. She had nearly froze, waiting for another pot to warm.

Chloe smiled happily as she was able to rinse Beca's hair and body with one full pot and set it aside, grabbing an old towel and handing it to her.

She wrapped it tightly and stepped out of the tub, a shiver running through her body.

"Alright, you get dressed, I'll get you something hot to drink and meet you by the fire." Beca nodded as they exited the bathroom and went separate ways.

Beca dried off and dressed quickly. Not wanting the chilly air to get to her too much. She was glad to be in a clean pair of jeans. Deciding it would be okay to layer, she clasped her bra then put on a long sleeve shirt, before adding a short sleeve over it. She towel dried her hair as much as she could before putting her shoes on, not wanting to be without them in case something happened.

By the time she left the room and walked into the living room, Chloe was sitting by the fire with a steaming mug.

"What that?" She asked as she sat down and Chloe passed it to her.

"Tea. There were a few boxes of breakfast tea in the cellar, and the honey from the other house sweetened it. It will warm you up." She said.

Beca took a sip as she looked to the fire. "Where is everyone?" She asked looking around. Chloe nodded toward the window.

"Out chopping wood. Stacie wants to be more than prepared for the winter. "

"Smart. Have you had any?" Beca asked lifting the mug.

She nodded, reaching beside her and grabbing her own mug. "Yes ma'am."

Beca smiled as she took another drink. "We should go hunting."

"We still have plenty of meat-" Chloe started but Beca cut her off.

"Never too much, and we can store it here." She said. Chloe looked down and nodded.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have cut you off." Beca said.

Chloe looked up at her. "No worries, you're right. Can I go hunting with you?"

Beca smiled. "Of course." She said, as she carefully stood up. She reached out her hand, and helped Chloe up as before finishing her tea.

Chloe grimaced. "Doesn't that burn?" She asked taking the empty mug as well as her own and went into the kitchen.

"Feels good." Beca smiled walking up to her. "Thank you for the tea." She said leaning in and giving her a kiss.

Chloe smiled into it, reaching up and grabbing the back of her neck to keep her in place.

They broke apart after a moment, and Chloe smile. "You taste sweet."

"That would be the honey." Beca blushed and Chloe kissed her again.

"Nah, its all you."

XXXXXX

Aubrey had just set another log down for Stacie. Standing back as she raised the axe, when they heard a branch snap in the woods.

Stacie halted mid swing and Aubrey pulled her gun from her holster.

They exchanged glances, Stacie holding up the axe, when the front door opened and Chloe and Beca walked out, both holding guns, joking about something.

Aubrey flipped around to face them. "Shhh!"

They stopped, and looked at the two, sobering up instantly as they looked towards the woods.

They quietly made their way off the porch and over to them, their guns ready.

Another branch snapped and they all flinched.

"That was close, it got passed the noise trap." Chloe whispered.

Aubrey whipped around to her right seeing something out of the corner of her eye and raised her gun.

"Whoa! It's me!"

They all deflated, letting out breaths as they lowered their weapons.

"Jesus Christ Jesse, where have you been?!" Beca scolded as she hurried over to greet him. She stopped however, as Jesse stepped aside, pulling out a small child from behind him.

She froze, her eyes locked on the small, filthy child that stood a few feet from her.

"Jesse?" She asked cautiously. This was the first kid she had seen, since that day at the theater.

"This is Cody. We ran into each other in town. He is alone." Jesse said as Aubrey, Stacie and Chloe made their way over. "He was alone. He is staying with us now."

Beca looked from Jesse, with a gulp and looked at the boy. He was young, and the dirt on his face was old and dry. He was skinny, and looked nervous, though she could tell he was trying to put on a brace face.

"Hey Cody. I'm Beca." She said stepping forward. "Are you hungry?"

XXXXXX

Chloe was refilling the bath as Beca, Jesse, Aubrey and Stacie sat in the kitchen with Cody. He devoured the meat they put in front of him, as well as two bottles of water and half a can of fruit.

Aubrey smiled. "Someone was hungry, jeez Jesse didn't you feed him?" She asked standing up. "I'll make you some tea Cody, it'll warm you up after a bath."

The boy looked up as Chloe walked in. "Speaking of, the tub is ready."

He looked at Jesse. "You can speak, Cody, to all of us. You don't have to be afraid. Do you need help in the bath?"

He shook his head. "No, I can do it. But, I don't have clean clothes."

Beca smiled. "I'm pretty small, I'm sure you can wear one of my shirts. We will find you some clothes."

He nodded and Chloe held out her hand. "Come on kiddo, I'll show you where the bathroom is."

He took it slowly, and looked back at Jesse.

Beca caught it and smiled as Jesse gave him a thumbs seemed to reassure him and he followed after Chloe.

"Well then." Stacie said sitting back. "This is a bit of a plot twist."

Jesse looked at her. "He's only nine I couldn't just leave him out there."

Stacie stood up. "No I didn't mean it was bad. I would have brought him home too. It was just unexpected."

"You're good with him, he trusts you." Beca smiled.

"He had been with his dad, since the beginning, but they were attacked and his dad was bitten. He killed him, with his dads gun. That rifle." He pointed to the gun he had placed by the door. "I'm the first living person he has come across."

"Damn. That's rough." Aubrey said as she warmed the water for Codys tea.

Chloe walked back in then, holding a heap of dirty clothes.

"I think we might need to burn them." She said.

"Can't be saved?" Beca asked picking through the pile. "He will need these, I'll wash them." She said pulling out the underwear, "But, yeah, burn the rest."

Aubrey put on another pot of boiling water for Beca to wash his underwear. "We will have to find something for him." She said.

"I'll have to make another trip to town. I didn't get much, I found him in the first store. I'm sure I can find some stuff for him."

Beca dropped the cloth into the pot and looked up at him. "Don't go so soon after getting back." She said, her voice laced with worry.

"It'll be too cold if I wait. I don't mind going back." Jesse said.

"Wait until Cody is done, so you can tell him what you are doing. He doesn't know us, I can't imagine he will be too comfortable by himself here."

Jesse nodded. "Alright,"

Chloe smiled. "Beca I'll grab one of your shirts, and see if I can find something for him to wear as pants."

Beca nodded and watched as she walked out.

Jesse made himself comfortable on the couch while Stacie grabbed soap for Beca and Aubrey finished the tea.

Chloe emerged a while later with a shirt and what looked like a pair of pajama pants. "I guess we can roll these up, and tie the waist?" She asked holding them up.

"That should work for now. Would you mind warming some rinsing water I'm sure he must be about done in there." Beca said.

Chloe nodded and did as she was asked, as Beca began scrubbing the cloth in the soapy water.

Jesse was just drifting off when they heard Cody call for him. He sat up and walked over dipping his finger into the water Chloe was warming over the fire.

"That should be good." He said and Chloe passed it off to him, before grabbing the clothes and handing them to him as well.

Jesse walked into the bathroom to find Cody sitting in a tub of murky water, covered in soap.

"Hey dude." He chuckled. "Ready to rinse?"

"Yeah, that lady said to call you she I was ready to rinse, and not to rinse in the tub water."

He nodded setting the clothes aside. "Her name is Chloe, and yeah, that would just make you dirty again. Stand up for me and I'll rinse you."

Cody looked into the dirty water for a minute before standing. Jesse rinsed him quickly and wrapped him in a towel.

"All done," he said and lifted him from the tub.

"Beca is trying to save your underwear, but for now we have some pants that we can adjust to fit and a shirt. They are clean."

Cody nodded. "Okay."

It wasn't long before he was sat on the edge of the tub, Jesse rolling the pants to fit him better. His hair was clean and Jesse realized it was actually longer than he thought. Falling just over his ears. A light brown color.

"Alright, you're clean. And Aubrey has a blanket and some tea waiting for you."

"They are nice right?"

"The nicest. And Cody, I have to go back to the town where we met. To get more supplies and try and find clothes for you."

Codys eyes grew. "Without me?" He almost cried. "Don't leave me!"

"Cody, its safer for you here. It's warm and has food and water, and a place to sleep. You are safe here with them. And I'll be back late tonight. Only if I leave now. I promise you are okay here. Do you trust me?"

After a few moments of nervous thinking and lip chewing Cody nodded.

"That's good. You're alright, dude." He said and took his hand.

They walked into the living room to find Chloe and Beca on the couch. And Stacie and Aubrey by the fire.

"Hey you, come sit, I have your tea." Aubrey said and he walked over and sat beside her.

Stacie draped a blanket over his shoulders and Chloe smiled. "Oh my goodness he is adorable." She whispered.

Beca smiled and nodded.

"Alright, I'm heading out. I'll be back as soon as possible." Jesse said and Beca and Cody both turned to look at him.

"Be careful, don't take so long this time." Beca said and Cody looked at her.

"What she said." He said and Jesse smirked.

"I'll be quick. You be safe too, Cody, keep these girls in line."

He smiled shyly and Stacie reached over pinching at his chin.

Jesse left, and the room fell silent as the door latched. It would be nice, to have a kid around. Beca looked as he sipped his tea and Aubrey made small talk with him.

It all seemed so normal. And she hoped this was going to be their new normal.

A/N: sorry for the delay! Been working, and now I have an upper respiratory infection. I have Asthma on top of that, so basically I'm dying. If you know me, I always put a face to my OC's for Cody I'm using Jacob Tremblay. He stole my heart the movie room, and I think he is perfect to be Cody! Please review? I could use the positivity!


	39. Broken promises

**A/N: I am so sorry for the long delay in updating. My life is such a mess. I've been trying I just struggle sometimes. Here is a lame excuse for an update. I know I don't deserve it but please review?**

Beca looked up from where she stood behind the counter, in the kitchen, to see Cody was standing next to the window. He had been standing in the same spot for nearly an hour and she was beginning to worry about him. He hadn't spoken much after Jesse left. He finished his tea and warmed up by the fire. She isn't sure when but at some point he snagged his now clean underwear from where she had hung them to dry.

She didn't mention it and he didn't say anything either. It made her chuckle lightly knowing the child must have been embarrassed when he didn't need to be.

Chloe and Aubrey had gone out with Stacie to set some more traps around the perimeter just in case any creatures happened to find their way to the cabin. Beca had kissed Chloe as she left, telling her to be safe and Cody had watched them with a curious expression.

She guessed she would have to explain to him that she and Chloe were a couple and that it was normal. Not knowing if or what he knew concerning the topic.

She looked at him in wonder as she ripped open a package of instant muffin mix she had found in the cellar. There was a box of them and Stacie had told her that her Mother liked to make them every morning for breakfast. They were quick, easy and filling.

The sound of the package tearing drew two cautious eyes away from the window and Beca smirked lightly, seeing him look over.

"Hey bud, wanna give me a hand in here?"

It was silent for a second and Beca looked up to see he was still in the same spot, but his lips were pursed to the side in thought.

"With what?" Came a small voice.

"Making some muffins."

"Muffins?"

She smiled and looked up at him. "Mmhm."

He peered around her, staring at the oven. "Does that work?"

She looked behind her, smirking at the old neglected oven. "No, it doesn't." She said turning back around and dumping the contents of the package into a bowl.

"How will you bake them?" He asked taking a tentative step forward, nervously picking at his fingers.

"Well," She said setting the empty package down and leaning casually against the counter. "See those racks by the fire?"

He looked over to the fire place, spotting the metal racks that were leaning against the stone wall. He nodded looking back at her.

"Inside the fire place, Jesse set up some metal stands. You can't see them because they are covered by the fire. But if I set those racks on them, they might just work well enough to bake the muffins."

She explained and Cody looked back at the fire. "That's not safe."

Beca chuckled and stood back up. "You're right. But I'll be careful."

He had stopped moving forward and Beca wondered if maybe this wouldn't work. Then he looked back at her.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked as he walked over and she smiled.

"You could mix this all together, while I get the pan ready?" She asked.

"Okay." He said and she pushed the bowl to the side as he walked over to her.

He watched for a second as she rummaged through a plastic tub on the counter before pulling out an old can of cooking spray.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as he carefully picked up the bowl and held it against him as he stirred the mix.

She wasn't used to kids. She had a few younger cousins, but they lived on the west coast, and she only saw them maybe once a year. She doubted they were even alive. She wasn't sure how to speak to them, or what to do to comfort them.

Cody stood beside her, stirring the muffin mix, his shoulders losing some of their tension and she couldn't help but feel like maybe she was doing okay.

XXXXXX

"Do you think we should have left Beca there alone with him?"

Aubrey let out a breath and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. It was cold out, but they were lifting heavy chunks of wood, creating barriers and the cold didn't seem to keep them cool at all.

"He's a kid, what's he going to do?" Stacie asked as she walked up behind them.

"I don't mean that. I mean, Beca didn't look like she was very comfortable with him. She seemed a little nervous. Maybe because of what she had to do in the beginning."

"She probably just doesn't know anything about kids." Aubrey smiled, sympathetically. She too, had thought about that possibility. "She doesn't seem like the type to have spent a lot of time around them before."

Chloe nodded. "True. I'm sure they are fine, I was just thinking out loud I guess."

Stacie chuckled. "No worries Chlo. We are almost finished." She said and handed Aubrey a piece of twine.

Chloe nodded as she watched Aubrey tie her end to a tree as Stacie strung it across the gap they were standing in.

XXXXXX

It was getting dark and Jesse had just made it back to the town where he found Cody. An empty bag on his back for supplies. He knew of a few things they needed but his first task was to find somethings for Cody. He needed clothes his size.

He walked down a debris covered sidewalk, staying close to the buildings. They were dark and from what he could see from the outside, pretty cleaned out.

He had told them he would be back before it got too late and he intended on keeping that promise.

He had been walking through the abandoned town for a short time before he stopped, his eyes landing on something.

With a sigh, and a smile he looked up to the sky. "I don't know who is up there, but thank you for looking out." He said as he quickened his step and soon stopped in front of a large metal, clothing donation bin.

It was huge, and he could already see that there was no easy way of getting inside.

He walked around the outside of it, seeing the door was securely locked shut. With a sigh he found the shoot where you are meant to drop the clothing you are donating.

It wasn't big, but as he examined it, he hoped he could fit through it. This wasn't an opportunity he planned on walking away from. They all needed things and he was sure this was the answer. It almost seemed too easy, but he pushed that to the back of his mind as he hoisted himself up and began to shimmy through the small opening.

This would be the rare occasion he was thankful for the massive amount of weight he had lost. The metal dug into his thighs as his upper half made it through and he wiggled trying to drop through and into the container.

With a groan and a few hisses of pain he hit the bottom with a thud.

Sitting up he let himself fall back against the side of it and closed his eyes for a moment.

After a few deep breaths and trying to ignore the throbbing in his thighs from crawling through the opening, he opened his eyes. He couldn't see well in the dark but he could feel that there were multiple plastic bags. Not worrying about trying to open them, he stood and began tossing as many as he could back out the opening. After tossing four or five bags he stopped and took a breath.

Unsure of how to get back out, he stood for a moment and debated the best way to go about it.

Knowing it was getting late, he grabbed the edge of the opening and pulled himself up to crawl back out.

He was half way through, and was doing his best to drop down and not hurt himself when he heard it.

He froze, and listened carefully hearing the sound that he had hoped he wouldn't hear again for a while.

He could feel the blood rushing to his head as he practically hung upside down trying to get out. He knew he had two options, either drop down, and face it, or get back into the container and hide it out.

The sound got louder and he knew that there was no way he was going to be able to get out in time.

With a loud grunt, he heaved himself back into the opening and hit the bottom with a loud thud.

Outside the container the snarls and groans of the creatures grew louder and seemed to echo inside the container.

Unsure of how big the hoard was, since he was upside down and didn't get to see exactly what was coming his way he didn't know how long he might be stuck inside the metal box.

He sighed, dropping his head in his hands. There was no way he was going to be home before it got too late. He just hoped all was well back at the cabin and that Cody was okay with the girls.


	40. AN: PLEASE READ

First, I want to say I'm sorry. For being such a shitty writer. My updating schedule is awful and I half ass my chapters and that isn't how I should be doing this.

Second, I'm going to be taking another break. My life is such a pathetic pile of crap and my mental health has gone down hill so fast, and so hard that I feel like I'm drowning and at the same time I feel nothing at all. My girlfriend is doing her best to help me but so far I'm just sinking farther. I've found out some upsetting news concerning my Dad, I have to sit by and watch as my four year old niece whom I raised for the first three years of her life is left with a neglectful abusive drug addict. I'm not related by blood and I live across the country. Nothing I have done has worked. Until her grandmother stands up and fights for her... I don't know what is going to happen. My job is crap and it's not good enough for anyone. I have so much weighing on me and I'm cracking. I'm sorry that my stories are suffering because of this but if I don't start focusing on myself and mental state, I'm afraid of what could happen.

I love you all, you are all so special and important to me and have made my passion come alive and I am so thankful for that. I am sorry that this is happening but I just need to step back and work on my life and happiness before there is nothing left to work on. Thank you all, I love you and hopefully I'll be back to finish these stories.

KissKendrick


	41. POLL

Hey guys! There is a poll on my profile here on ! Please go vote! It closes in 6 days! Please and thank you!


	42. Frost

Cody shifted under Jesses blanket as he got settled in his bed. Beca sat in the edge of it with Chloe behind her.

"Are you warm enough?" Beca asked pulling the blanket up under his chin.

"Yes, thank you." He said, his eyes moving over to look at the door.

Beca followed his gaze, feeling the slight panic fill her, before looking back at him.

"Don't worry, he will be back."

"He said before dark. It's dark." Cody pointed out and Beca smirked.

"I know, but Jesse is smart and safe. He found a place to camp, I'm sure."

Cody sighed and looked down, nodding.

Beca took a breath, her hands wringing together in her lap.

"Do you like it here? Did you like the muffins?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood before leaving him alone with his thoughts, not wanting to worry him more than he already was.

He looked back up at her and smiled softly.

"Yes, thank you for letting me help you make them."

Beca smiled and Chloe rested her hand on her shoulder. She knew Beca was unsure and uncomfortable. But, she was doing well and she was proud of her.

Cody looked from Beca to Chloe and back again. "You don't have to worry Beca." He said. "I know you don't know a lot about kids, but you are doing alright. I'm sorry I make you nervous."

Beca looked at him, her eyes beginning to burn slightly and she smirked again, reaching out and ruffling his hair.

"You're alright too, kid." She winked before standing up.

"We are just down the hall, if you need anything just come in." She said.

He settled down further, turning onto his side and she pulled the blanket up again.

"Goodnight, Beca. Goodnight, Chloe."

"Goodnight, Cody. Sleep well." Chloe said as she and Beca walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind them.

^xxx

"Watch your step, it's slippery." Stacie said holding out her hand and Aubrey grabbed it thankfully as they walked over the frost covered rocks a few yards down river.

They had woken up early and decided to get out for a little while. Trying to keep their mind on something while the waited for Jesse to return. Everything was coated in a thick layer of frost and the chill in the air pricked at their skin as they walked.

"It's gotten so cold so fast." The blonde said, her hot breath creating clouds of white when she spoke.

"Yes it has," Stacie replied and made it a point to reach over and zip the coat Aubrey wore the rest of the way up. "I don't see very many warm afternoons in the future. I think winter is finally setting in."

"Do you think we will catch anything?" She asked, the hand not currently held by Stacie's hand, gripping a fishing pole they found in a closet in the cabin.

"I hope so. Fish will be a nice change from the deer meat. Maybe even make some soup or something."

Aubrey nodded as she carefully followed where Stacie lead her. "Fish soup... sounds delicious." She said and Stacie chuckled at the look on her face.

"It could be worse," She said.

"You're right. We could be starving. We have been lucky for the food we have found and that you and Beca are good hunters."

Stacie squeezed her hand, bracing her arm tightly as she helped Aubrey navigate the frost covered rocks.

It wasn't long before they came across an old wooden bridge.

"What's on the other side?" Aubrey asked as she gratefully stepped off of the rocky edge of the river.

"More trees." Stacie deadpanned and Aubrey glared at her playfully.

"There is a bridge, there has to be something over there," She said as they stopped in the middle of the bridge and she handed Stacie the pole.

"I'm not sure," she said looking toward the other side of the bridge. "We weren't allowed on the bridge, my family was afraid we would fall in. So this is actually the first time I've been on it."

Aubrey smiled sadly, knowing that talking about her family wasn't as easy as it sounded.

"We will have to explore it someday." She said and Stacie nodded, leaning over and kissing her cheek softly.

"We will."

^xxx

Chloe sat next to Cody, perched at the window, both watching as Beca kept busy outside.

"Is she okay?" He asked and Chloe let out a breath.

"She is. She just gets nervous sometimes, and needs to keep her mind busy."

He nodded watching as Beca lifted her axe and split another piece of wood. "It's because Jesse isn't back yet, isn't it?"

She gave him a sad smile and nodded. "It is, but it's going to be okay."

He sighed, his breath hitting the cold window, fogging it up.

"Should we help her? I know how to stack wood, my Dad taught me."

Chloe smiled at him. "I think that's a great idea." She said and they both stood up to get ready to go out into the cold.

Beca looked up, her cheeks flushed pink, her breathing a little labored as Chloe and Cody walked outside. Cody was wearing clothing much to big for him, but Chloe managed to make it work, and a coat that nearly swallowed him whole.

"Hey baby," Chloe smiled as she stepped up to her, pressing warm lips against Beca's cold cheek and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Hi, what are you two doing?" She asked.

"We are going to help you carry and stack the wood." Cody said, already beginning to pick up all the pieces she had already cut.

Beca looked at him curiously before looking at Chloe who winked at her before also bending to pick up some wood.

"Well, thank you. I appreciate the help." She said lifting the axe as Cody stood with and arm full.

"We should take as much as we can inside, to keep it dry." He said, his tone very matter-of-fact before heading back toward the house.

Beca and Chloe exchanged amused glances as Chloe began to follow him.

Beca smiled after the two of them before swinging the axe down and splitting another piece of wood.

^xxx

It had been over an hour and Stacie managed to catch two fish. Nothing huge, maybe three pounds all together but it was enough to make the soup she had talked about.

They packed them away and Aubrey followed as Stacie walked off the bridge, ready to get back to the cabin and warm up by the fire.

"Do you think Jesse is back?" Aubrey asked, voicing her concern as they walked, Stacie a few steps ahead of her.

"I don't know, I hope so. I don't think Beca is going to wait much longer before she goes out looking for him." She said.

"She shouldn't go alone," Aubrey sighed. "But it's so cold and Chloe just barely managed to fight off that cough, I don't think it would be wise for her to go-"

"I'll go with her." Stacie cut in softly. "I agree, it's not a good idea for Chloe to be out in this for too long and it's only going to get colder. I'll go with her, if it comes down to it."

Aubrey was quiet and Stacie glanced back at her. "Is that okay?"

She nodded. "Yes of course. I mean, I'd rather neither of you went but I know that it's inevitable if he doesn't get back soon. And I don't want Beca out there alone."

Stacie smiled softly. Aubrey was always so concerned for everyone else. She fussed over Chloe and the cold weather. She worried about Beca being alone in the forest. She was so caring, and had shown her concern for Stacie many times since they arrived at the cabin.

She was lost in her thoughts, smiling to herself as she walked. Not realizing that Aubrey was still unsteady on the rocks.

Until she heard a gasp and a pained cry and she flipped around to find Aubrey had slipped on a rock and had fallen hard, almost into the freezing river.

"Bree, fuck, are you okay?" She rushes over and dropped down beside her, seeing the tears that already began to slid down her cheeks.

"My leg," she cried, "I hit the rocks."

Stacie felt her heart start to hammer, unsure of where she could put her hands, not wanting to cause her anymore pain. "Where? Where on your leg?"

"Here," She said hovering a shaking hand over her right thigh. "I landed right on the rocks."

"Shit, I'm so sorry, I should have been helping you."

"It's not your fault, if I would have held your hand I could have pulled you down too." She said, wiping at her tears.

"Do you think you can stand?"

She let out a breath as she nodded. "I don't know that I can walk very far like this," she said as Stacie carefully helped her to her feet and the pain shot through her leg.

"Lean on me as much as you need too, we aren't far from the cabin."

She nodded and Stacie looped her arm over her shoulder, tightening her own arm around Aubrey's waist. She limped heavily and whimpered in pain with every step on the uneven ground.

^xxx

Cody and Chloe were heading toward the house with two more arm loads of wood when they heard Stacie yelling.

They froze, as did Beca, all of their eyes shooting in the direction of Stacie's voice.

"Help! Aubrey's Hurt!"

Chloe dropped the wood, letting it hit the ground with multiple thuds as she took off in the direction of Stacie's voice. Beca wasn't far behind her and they made it a few yards into the tree line before Stacie and Aubrey came into view.

Aubrey was crying, leaning on Stacie heavily as they walked and Chloe was immediately at her other side.

"What happened?!"

"She fell, slipped on the rocks by the river. She hurt her leg."

"Lift her, get her off of it." Chloe said reaching down to lift her leg.

Stacie nodded and Aubrey cried out in pain as Stacie hooked her arm under her leg and they both lifted her off the ground.

"I'm sorry," She said, worry filling her voice, knowing her grip was on the thigh that she had hurt.

Beca lead them quickly from the trees and when they made it to the clearing Cody was just exiting the house, his fathers rifle in his hands.

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking around for whatever had hurt Aubrey.

"It's okay, Cody, you don't need that." Beca said as they reached the porch. She carefully took it from him and ushered him inside as they brought Aubrey in.

"On the couch, I'll get some warm water going." Beca said and Chloe and Stacie carefully set her on the couch.

"It's her thigh, she said that's where she hit it." Stacie said and Chloe nodded as Cody planted himself nervously on the other couch.

"Take her pants off, so we can see how bad it is." Beca said walking back in.

Aubrey laid back as Chloe carefully pulled her jeans down her legs.

Cody looked away, as they examined her leg.

The majority of her right thigh had already turned a deep shade of purple and black, smaller but just as painful looking bruises were littered down the rest of leg as well as some scrapes they assumed were from the rocks.

Aubrey leaned her head back, trying to keep her breathing even, even though it felt like she broke something in her leg.

She stayed still as Chloe went to get her a blanket and as Beca brought over a pot of hot water and a washcloth. Carefully dabbing it, before laying the cloth over the bruise so the heat would relax the muscle.

"Thank you." Aubrey whispered after a while. "I'm sorry, I should have been more careful."

"It's my fault Bree. I should have been helping you, I should have been holding onto you like I was before. I don't know what I was thinking."

Chloe gave her a sad look, knowing that it wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident and she knew that Aubrey didn't blame her.

"I'm just glad you were there to help her." She spoke and Stacie looked up at her. "Thank you for getting her back here safely."

Stacie still looked upset, but she nodded as she looked down and Aubrey grabbed her hand.

Beca sat on the other couch now, with Cody beside her.

Chloe on the floor beside Aubrey and Stacie on the couch next to her.

It wasn't until nearly an hour later that Stacie remembered the fish she had caught. Chloe offered to clean it and had gotten started on that while everyone stayed lost in their thoughts.

Beca sighed, looking out the window as the day wore on, before she turned to Chloe.

"I'm going to go find him." She said and everyone looked at her.

"Beca-"

"I have too, Chlo." She said. "He should have been back by now."

She nodded, knowing this was coming though Beca could see the trepidation in her eyes.

"Don't worry Chloe. I'll go with her. I know this area, I'll keep her safe." Stacie promised and Aubrey squeezed her hand. She was exhausted from the pain and nearly asleep.

Chloe looked down. "I want to go with you."

"Chlo it's too cold out there. You can't get sick again so soon, you just barely dodged the last time. Besides, Aubrey needs you." She said reaching up to cup Chloe's cheeks. She leaned her forehead against the taller girls and Chloe closed her eyes.

"Please, be back by this time tomorrow? Don't stay gone any longer?" She asked, reaching up to hold Beca's wrists as she held her in place.

"I promise. If we don't find him, or at least have an idea of where he is, we will come back and then try again."

Cody listened from his place curled on the couch. He didn't want Beca to go, but he wanted Jesse to come back. He looked out the window, to see it was getting darker, the days were shorter now and it would only get colder as the sun went down.

He didn't move from his spot, as Chloe hugged and kissed and made Beca promise to come back safely. He stayed quiet as Stacie knelt beside Aubrey and promised the same to her.

Soon, it was just the three of them. Aubrey had finally fallen asleep on the couch and Chloe sat beside him and dropped her head into her hands.

He felt fear in his belly. Aubrey was hurt, Jesse was gone and Beca and Stacie had left. Chloe was upset and he didn't know what to do.

Chloe had been still for a long while before she felt a light touch to her leg. She looked up, to see Cody staring at her.

"Chloe, are you scared?" He asked. His voice coming out small.

She sat back, pushing her hair back and looking over at Aubrey.

"I am a little bit. But I know they will be okay. And they will find Jesse." He looked over at Aubrey.

"I'm scared too." He said and Chloe looked at him.

It wasn't just Aubrey or Beca anymore. It wasn't only her best friend and girlfriend she had to worry about. She had the new responsibility of a child now.

She was scared. She was worried for Aubrey, and she was worried that something bad had happened to Jesse. She was scared that something would happen to Beca and Stacie. She was afraid to be alone.

But she had Cody now too. And he was looking at her, with terrified, pleading eyes. He needed comfort but didn't ask for it. Not with words.

She tried to smile at him, to soothe his fear. But it was forced and she knew it wasn't genuine. Instead she reached over and looped an arm around him. Pulling him close and she felt her throat tighten when he pressed himself as close to her as he could, clinging to her shirt and burying his face into her side.

"It's okay, Cody. You're okay." She whispered, holding him tighter.

A/N: please review?


	43. Warm bodies (fixed see AN)

A/N: PLEASE READ. Oh my god you guys I wrote and updated that chapter WHILE HIGH ON AMBIEN. I fixed the grammar as much as I could and the misspelling. I didn't even know I did it until I woke up to reviews. Thank you for all that read and reviewed and I apologize for the errors. I don't usually try to write after taking Ambien. I must have woken up and done it at some point.

The sun was setting and the already cold temperature dropped even further. Beca keep her head down, as the slight breeze was even worse when it hit her face. Like thousands of frozen needles sticking into her cheeks.

She and Stacie had been walking for almost an hour and all she could think about was how everything was going back at the cabin.

Was Chloe okay? Fussing over Aubrey or makin sure Cody was alright. Was she scared? And Aubrey, was she in a lot of pain? Was she able to fall asleep? Was Cody okay?

These questioned rattled around in her head, on repeat as she walked. Her steps as quiet as they always were.

She was a few paces behind Stacie who was in the same predicament she was in. Lost in her head, worrying over Aubrey and everything back at the cabin.

"How far do you want to go before we stop and make camp?" She called back quietly over her shoulder.

Beca looked up, then around them. She could still see the dark silhouettes of the trees, but not much more than that. The temp dropped so drastically she could see her own breath and would be lying if she said she could handle this for even a little longer.

"How close are we to this town?" She asked, adjusting the bag on her back.

"At least another hour." She said. "I think we should stop and make camp."

Beca sighed but nodded, knowing that pushing themselves and looking for Jesse in the dark, when the weather was freezing probably wasn't going to work out in their favor.

They stopped a few minutes later, and beca looked to see Stacie was looking over a small drop off.

"We would be protected from the wind down there. She said andBeca looked to see that it was almost a small cave, they could make a fire and stay out of the cold as much as possible.

"Good idea." She said. "How do we get down?"

Stacie looked around for a bit, before finding a spot she thought would be the safest way to get to the bottom.

Beca followed her, her arms out to her sides, to keep her balance. Looking forward to the warmth the fire would bring and hoping Chloe and everyone was alread warm by the fireplace. She knew Chloe was going to make something with the fish they caught so she knew they would have full bellies before bed.

Turned out the cave was actually formed by a giant tree root. A flood must have washed the ground away. They weren't complaining. Especially after Stacie used the tarp for the tent to cover the opening and built the fire so it could drift outside. They were fully sheltered.

"Wow Stace. I would have never even found this."

"You don't give yourself enough credit. You would have:" she said and smiled. "Now stop comparing yourself to me and help me clean this, I'm starving."

Beca inched over and grabbed the fish. "I grabbed one fish, some salt and pepper and a small can of broth. I'm sure it's not going to be half as good as what they are making but-"

"Hey," Beca cut her off as she struggled to make the fire.

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't have a home. Might not even be alive. I wouldn't be talking. Please don't compare your delicious hot meal of fish soup to anyone else's. I'm looking forward to it." She smiled and Stacie smirked, looking down as her cheeks tinged red.

"Thank you Beca."

Xxxxx

Cody was knelt next to the couch. He had just brought over some of Chloe's fish soup for Aubrey. She was asleep however so he set it on the floor. As he was moving to leave, his eyes caught something and he carefully knelt back down. He didn't speak as he gently leaned over the sleeping girl, reaching his small hand up to pull the lapel of her jacket to the side.

"Cody? What are you doing hun?"

He jumped back, yanking his hand away from her like it had touched an oven top.

He stood up, putting his hands behind his back. Chloe could see by his body language he was readying himself for a scolding.

"What happened?" She asked kneeling down in front of him and taking his hands from behind his back to hold them with her own gentle hands. Glancing at Aubrey's sleeping form.

"I wasn't being bad, I promise. I just saw her scar and wondered what happened to her."

Chloe felt the sadness in the room. The scar caused by Komissar as she pulled the blade across Aubrey's throat, not caring if she died.

Aubrey hated the scar. The still fresh, painful scar that reminded her every day of what happened to them.

She picked up Aubrey's bowl. "Come eat my love." She said guiding him back to the kitchen where his bowl sat.

He climbed into the chair and poked at it.

"What is it?" He asked and Chloe giggled at the look of distrust on his face.

"I filleted two fish, cooked the meat and cut it up. Then I used a can of chicken broth and a can of green beans. I let it boil with salt and pepper and a little garlic salt I found."

He looked at it in disgust. "I don't like fish much."

Chloe sighed and looked down. "We don't have much else, I'm sorry-"

"No it's okay Chloe." He said quickly as he picked up his spoon. "I'll still try it."

She smiled gratefully as he took a bite and after a moment smiled.

"That's actually pretty good!" He said. "Makes my tummy warm." He smiled almost giddy up at her, taking another bite.

Chloe's hearts swelled. "Thank you Cody that means a lot." She was glad to see him being a child. Not the gun toting, ready to shoot eight-year old he was earlier.

He smiled over another mouthful.

Chloe took her own bowl and after glancing out the window, seeing the snow falling heavier than it had been, she tried to eat. She was worried for Beca and Stacie.

Minutes later, Cody's bowl was empty and Chloe had only stirred hers around in circles. Too lost in though to eat.

She looked up at Him and smiled.

"Alright I know that look." She said playfully. "What's up Cody?"

He looked determined, his eyes hard. Not the sweet look he had just moments before when he complimented Chloe's soup.

"Who hurt Aubrey? Who gave her that scar?"

Xxxx

Stacie passed the small pot across the fire to Beca and she quickly drank the broth from their small shared dinner.

"Well that was protein. Disgusting but protein." Beca chuckled.

"I'll take first watch?" Stacie asked.

Beca shook her head. "I strung a noise trap around the tarp while you cooked. Should be safe for both of us to sleep. Besides, we will probably need to share the body heat."

"Oh sharing body heat huh?" Stacie wiggled her eyebrows.

Beca scoffed playfully. "Oh hush."

"Nah I'm kidding. But you're right, it's too cold and combining body heat is smart. Let's combine the two sleeping bags."

They worked quickly before stripping into their underwear, and cuddled into the sleeping bag. Stacie pulled Beca back flush against her stomach and she yelled in surprise.

"Take you by surprise?" Stacie made fun.

"Oh be quiet, you." She laughed.

Stacie chuckled and made sure their guns were in arms reach before they huddled down and drifted into sleep.

Xxxxx

Jesse sat against the back of the donation bin, currently using multiple ripped bags of clothes to keep him warm. Making a small nest in the corner, putting on as much as possible then burying himself in the rest.

He had just hunkered down for the night, eating the last of his deer meat. The hoard was still outside. Something was keeping them there and he assumed it was a dead animal or something. But he couldn't escape and he knew Beca was going to kill him.

He had just started to doze off when multiple shots echoed and he all but flew up to his feet. The shots kept ringing and the hoard screamed. When a bullet hit the container he dropped to his stomach, covering his head as he listened to the shots and the bodies hitting the pavement outside.

It seemed to go on forever and when it finally stopped and Jesses ears stopped ringing he could hear boots crunching on the gravel.

It sounded like something was being connected to the container and he shuffled back until he was pressed against the back.

A few moments later, the front of the bin was torn off and he was blinded by headlights.

"Well what do we have here?"

Xxxxx

Beca and Stacie shot up as quick as possible ready to shoot. The continuous sound of bullets told them it wasn't a shootout. Their was no return fire. They dressed quickly, not voicing their mutual fear. Jesse had been found before they could get to him.

And the gun shots could only mean one thing.

The fire was out and they were running through the falling snow as fast as they could. Becas heart beating so hard it hurt.


	44. Them

Cody looked up at Chloe with tired stubborn eyes as she tried to get him to sleep that night.

"Please Chloe? Tell me how Aubrey got that scar? Who would do that to her, she is so nice."

Chloe sighed as she sat down on the side of the bed.

"I don't think they would like for me to tell you, Cody. It's not a very nice story." She tried to explain but he sat up, propping himself on one elbow.

"There aren't very many nice stories anymore. I am used to it. besides, cant you tell me a nice story you remember after?"

She couldn't help but smile at him. He may have only been eight years old, but he was smart. And surprisingly logical.

She let out another breath, "Well, someone really bad, hurt her with knife. Because they wanted to take Stacie away from us and we wouldn't let them."

"I don't understand, why would they do that just because they wanted Stacie?" He asked tilting his head to the side. "What did they want her for?"

Chloe looked down. "They were angry with her and they would have done anything to get revenge. The person that hurt her though, is gone now. And she wont becoming back, so you don't have to worry."

"She?" He asked and Chloe watched as the clogs in his head started turning.

"Was..Was her name Kommisar?"

Chloe felt her breath catch and the blood drain from her face.

XXX^

Becas lungs burned as she and Stacie ran as fast as they could through the thick, frozen forest.

It seemed to take years, but it was really only about fifteen minutes of practically sprinting, jumping over fallen trees an ducking branches that Stacie stopped and halted Beca as well.

"This...is it." She gasped, Her breath coming out in puffs of warm air in front of her face. Beca was breathing just as hard and looked passed her to where she could faintly make out the edge of the trees.

"The shooting stopped, what do we do? What if it was Jesse they were shooting at?" She asked, her voice panicked and Stacie looked behind her.

"Just stay behind me. I know the gas station that Jesse found Cody in. It's on the edge of town and has a good view of it. We can try to get there and see whats going on. "

Beca nodded and Stacie nodded behind her to tell her to follow. She pulled her gun from its holster and held it in front of her. She wasn't ready for what they might find. She had just got Jesse back. She wasn't ready to lose him again.

When they reached the edge of the trees Stacie stopped and shot behind a tree, grabbing Beca and pulling her behind it as well.

"What? What did you see?" She asked peeking around the tree and her eyes grew when they landed on the group of people about fifty yards away. There were at least six trucks and triple the amount of people.

"Oh my god. do you think-" she stopped short, narrowing her eyes as she saw someone walking around the left side of the group, his hand wrapped firmly around the arm of Jesse.

"No, no no no-"She said and bolted out from behind the tree.

"Beca, no!" Stacie whisper yelled as Beca slipped between the trees. She felt a rush of fear until she realized that Beca was actually being stealthy about it. She was moving along the tree line, staying out of sight and remaining as quiet as possible.

She didn't know these people and she could only hope they weren't part of Komissars former group. That was the last thing they needed.

XXX^

"My Dad and I lived in the school with them for a little while. Not very long though, because my Dad wasn't like them. He said they were bad and only did bad things. We left in the middle of the night and never went back. That woman was scary. She shot her own people all of the time. She made the people turn against each other and she would smile when someone died. She did that to Aubrey?" He asked.

Chloe was dumbstruck. She couldn't believe he had lived within that horrible community and praised his father for getting him out. She was equally as terrified of the things he had seen in that place.

"Cody, I am so sorry you had to see those things. Yes, it was her that hurt Aubrey. She tried to kill her, and me and Beca. She tried to hurt Stacie, but she didn't. We stoped her. Actually, Beca stopped her."

"Wow, Beca is really brave. Even my Dad was scared of that lady." He said laying back down and Chloe could swear she saw a little tension leave his small body. "I'm really sorry for what she did to you guys, you don't deserve it. You're nice." He said and yawned. "But I'm glad she is dead."

Chloe smiled lightly, before bending over to leave a small kiss on his warm forehead and he smiled. "Me too." She said, and it almost felt weird to say she was glad someone was dead. Then she remembered what that woman had almost been responsible for and the anger took over. She was glad too.

"Thank you for telling me Chloe. If you don't want them to know I know, I can keep a secret."

"No problem kid. You just rest. Ill see you in the morning okay?" she asked standing up and he nodded. "We still have some muffins." She winked and he smiled bigger at the thought of something good for breakfast.

"Goodnight Chloe."

"Goodnight Cody."

She left the room, her mind buzzing. Wishing Beca were there. Hoping they were safe and warm and would be back soon, with Jesse. She didn't like them being separated like this. It didn't lead to anything good in the past. She couldn't imagine it leading to anything good now.

She made her way out into the living room where Aubrey still lay sleeping soundly. She put a few more logs in the fire and warmed her hands by it before making sure Aubrey was comfortable. Then she grabbed a blanket and a gun and headed out to sit on the porch. Wanting nothing more than to see the familiar figures of her family walking out of the woods.

XXX^

Beca stopped when she had a good view of the person holding Jesse. She felt Stacie come up behind her and didn't bother to look, knowing she was looking at the same person. She wanted to get closer and had almost made it to a broken down car, when Beca yelped and she looked to see two figures had snuck up behind them. One had a gun pointed at her and the other one had Beca.

Jesse was only yards away and had no idea that his best friend was so close.

A/N: I know I know. Cliff hangers right? I wanted to get this up before I start my work week tomorrow. PLEASE review guys?


	45. 3 days

Stacie couldn't help the tears that flooded her eyes at the knowledge that they had been caught, again. Surely these were Komissars people.

Jesses eyes grew three sizes when they walked up, each of them holding onto one of the girls.

"No, let them go!" He ordered and stepped towards them.

"Jesse don't," Beca stopped him. She had just begun to put the last time they were taken behind her and now, she was petrified that it was all about to happen again. Except this time, she didn't have Chloe. But, that was for the best. This way, she wouldn't be hurt.

A man walked out of the group and they all looked at him in fear and wonder.

"What are your names?" He asked curiously and they all stayed silent.

"Let them go," Jesse ordered again and pointed at them as he locked eyes with this man.

They all stood shocked as he looked at the men and hey let the girls go. Stacie instantly grabbed Beca and Jesse was there guarding both of them with his body.

They all looked at the people that surrounded them guardedly.

"My name is Ryann and me and my people mean you no harm."

Beca felt her heart thud painfully as the words left her mouth before she even thought to do it. "Bullshit."

He held up his hands as Stacie looked at Beca, fear in her eyes at Becas words.

"I'm serious," Ryann said. "We don't hurt other people because we can. I promise you, we stumbled upon you by mistake and we mean you no harm."

"Then why did he point a gun at her." Beca nodded at the man that had grabbed her and pointed his gun at Stacie.

"Until we know you aren't a threat, we must treat you like one. These days you can never be too careful. I mean obviously, you don't believe me do you."

Beca was silent this time. Her own eyes tearing up. She wanted Chloe. She had only had her for just a short time and she wanted her now. She didn't get enough time with her.

"Why should we?" Jesse spoke instead.

"Because. I am telling you the truth." He said.

"Come on guys, load up." He said swishing his finger in the air and they all turned and began loading into their vehicles.

Jesse tensed and blocked Beca and Stacie even more.

"We have a farm. About two hundred acres that we have maintained. We have food, water, fresh fruits and vegetables. Cows as well. If you want to negotiate an agreement, we can. If not we will be going, it's late and we have children to get back too.

"You're serious?" Stacie asked and he nodded again.

"I am. Just because most people have chosen to use this worlds freedom for evil things, doesn't mean we all have. We are a family and we take care of each other and anyone else that needs it. Just like we did before."

He was stepping up into a truck when Beca moved out of behind Jesse.

"Wait," She said and shrugged Jesses hand off of her arm where he had tried to stop her. "What kind of agreement?"

XXX^^

Chloe watched intently as Cody cast his line out into the river. It was nearly noon and they had decided to try to catch some fish for dinner. Chloe was keeping busy and Aubrey was quick to usher her off to focus on something other than her injured leg.

Not that she didn't appreciate Chloe trying to help her, she just needed a little space and sending her and Cody off fishing was all she could think of.

With the promise of being extremely careful they had left. Now, two hours later and six new fish, to Chloe's surprise she was rather good at it, they were ready to start packing up to head back.

They had been in the process of packing the fish away when the unmistakable sound of a truck coming from the opposite side of the bridge could be heard.

They hadn't ventured to that side of the bridge and she remembered Aubrey talking about it earlier that morning.

Her eyes were wide and scared as she and Cody both turned and ran to the end of the bridge toward the cabin.

"Cody, we won't make it, stay along the bank under the bridge!" She called and they had just ducked under as the truck pulled onto the bridge.

Chloe pulled Cody against her and could feel him shaking. "It's okay, shh, we are okay." She whispered and felt her blood run cold as the truck shut off and a door opened at the opposite end of the bridge.

She closed her eyes, pulling him tightly against her, feeling his small hands grip the back of her shirt. Footsteps started across the wooden bridge and she tried to control her breathing.

Praying the puffs of air leaving her weren't loud enough to be heard, or that it wasn't cold enough for them to be seen.

There were multiple sets of footsteps on the bridge and she heard a frightened whimper come from Cody.

"I won't let anyone hurt you." She whispered reaching up to tuck his head into her neck.

The footsteps stopped, right above them.

XXX^^

Aubrey was able to get up and shuffle her way into the kitchen. She was cold and a warm cup of tea sounded wonderful. Her leg ached, but it wasn't enough to stop her getting up. She carefully boiled some water and seeped her tea before bundling up and setting a small log in the fire.

She sat there, deep in her thoughts and couldn't help but smile. They had come so far in the last year.

They escaped Luke. As afraid as she was when Beca punished him so severely, as terrified as she was when Beca killed him. She knew it was for the best. He wasn't good and he was only going to end up killing them.

She had come to care for Beca dearly. Love her even. She was a good a person and even better for Chloe. She loved Jesse too, though not the way she knew he felt for her and she felt a little guilty about that, but not much because she couldn't deny what she felt for Stacie.

She was head over heals in love with that girl and wasn't scared to admit it. And she missed her. She was worried about her, about her and Beca and if they would find Jesse. If they would find him dead or alive. Or maybe both.

Her tea slowly disappeared as she sat with her thoughts and when she set her cup to the side she realized the fire wood was low.

With a small sigh she made her way to the porch, to get an armful of firewood. She wanted the house to be nice and warm for them to return too anyway.

She had just got her arm full and was turning back to the door when the sound of branches snapping caught her attention.

She carefully set the wood down and went inside as quickly as she could to retrieve her gun. One of the creatures hadn't made it to the cabin so far, but that didn't make it impossible.

She stepped back out onto the porch and listened. More snapping, shuffling. It was coming from the direction Chloe and Cody had left in.

She pursed her lips and raised her gun, ready to shoot. It was cold and unusually quiet. No birds chirped.

She saw movement and let her finger rest on the trigger, ready to pull it.

Until she saw Chloe and Beca walk out of the trees.

XXX^^

Aubrey blinked in confusion before she put the safety on the gun, and made her way down the steps. It was when Stacie appeared that she couldn't stop from almost running toward her.

"Bree no, you're hurt!" Stacie almost laughed as she hurried to her and scooped her up into a hug.

Beca and Chloe were walking close together and watched as they had their reunion.

Aubrey pressed her lips to Stacie's and kept them there when she felt how cold they were.

"Get a room." Came a playful voice and they looked to see Jesse walking up with Cody on his back.

"Come on lets get warm." Beca smiled and they all filed back into the cabin.

XXX^^

"So you meet with them in three days to give them your answer?" Aubrey asked and Beca nodded as she cleaned one of the fish Chloe had caught.

"They give is fresh fruit and vegetables, for fish and half of any game we kill?" She repeated.

"And milk, remember?" Cody asked as she picked at one of the muffins from the day before.

Aubrey smiled at him. "And milk, from one of their dairy cows. Did you see this place?" She asked almost in disbelief.

"No, we wanted to get home to you baby, but they helped us pack up all of those clothes from the donation bin," she nodded to where Chloe was separating the clothes.

"The drove us here, and they seemed so genuine. They weren't her people either." She said and Cody looked at her before looking at Chloe who was smiling at him softly.

He smiled back and returned his attention to his muffin.

"Okay, if you guys think it's for real we may as well try. But I want to go to this first exchange."

"Deal." Jesse smiled and held up a pair of small jeans. "Cody these seem to be in your size."

"Awesome!" Cody exclaimed jumping up and taking the pants.

"So we are taking this deal? We will work out the kinks with them in three days?" Beca asked and they all nodded.

"Okay." She breathed. "Three days it is."


	46. Equal

Chloe was quiet as she sat perched in a tree, beside Beca. She watched as Becas eyes scanned the trees and surrounding area, not worrying about her thinking it was weird that she was staring. She was getting used to it.

"Beca?" She whispered and she saw her stiffen slightly at the sound of her voice interrupting the silence. "Sorry," She whispered as Beca looked at her pointedly.

"I just-" She started now that she had her attention. "Are you sure about this? This trading business? How do we know these people aren't tricking us?"

"We don't." Beca said.

She was fully aware that Chloe still wasn't a hundred percent comfortable with this plan. I have a feeling though, these people, they got Jesse out of that container. They helped us pack up all the clothes we needed and brought us here. They even spoke with us about their children at their camp."

Chloe nodded. "They could have just been saying that if they thought you might try to attack them."

Beca shrugged lightly and looked back out through the trees.

"I'm just afraid this is going to go bad. I don't want a repeat of the last group. You were shot, and Aubreys throat was cut. You are both lucky to be alive."

Beca nodded "Yes, we are." She agreed. "But if they are being honest Chlo...Then this could mean the difference between starving and living. They said they have milk, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables."

"But how?" Chloe asked.

Beca let out a breath. She wasn't annoyed with Chloes persistence. She understood her fear. She just didn't know how to comfort her. Not yet.

"I guess we will find out in the morning." She said and Chloe looked away with a nod.

Beca hated to disappoint her, and she wished she had the answers Chloe was looking for. But, she didn't. She wouldn't, until she saw it for herself.

Chloe had started to zone out, lost in her thoughts when Beca shifted just slightly, raising her gun and pulled the trigger.

XXX^^

"We cant keep it?" Cody asked as he sat on the kitchen counter,dressed in the clothes that Jesse found for him. They weren't new, but they were new to him and they kept him warm. Especially since they all insisted on layering.

"We have the meet tomorrow, this is going to be what we offer them." Jesse said, as he helped Beca separate the meat they had just cleaned.

"But you got a whole deer." Cody said and Stacie chuckled as she and Aubrey prepared a small portion of the deer meat for dinner.

"And we are keeping enough to feed us tonight, but the rest we have to take with us."

Cody looked down with a little groan. "Okay. But what about the antlers?" He asked looking at the small set of antlers that they took from the deer.

"I suppose we can keep those." Beca smiled. "Let me clean them up, and you can have them, okay?"

He nodded with a smile and slipped off the counter.

"Chloe, can I help you bring in the firewood for tonight?" He asked as Chloe bundled up to go outside.

She smiled and tossed him another sweater. "Of course you can. I couldn't possibly carry it all myself." She said and Beca watched her help Cody get ready to go out with a loving smile on her face.

This was their new normal. Cooking together, sleeping in soft warm beds. They had been lucky that there didn't seem to be any creatures in the area and they had plenty of fresh water and food. And hopefully, it would stay that way.

XXX^^

Aubrey, Jesse, Beca and Stacie all stood, at the end of the bridge early the next morning. The sun had just barely begun to rise and it was well below Thirty degrees. They were thankful for the extra layers they had on, and the warm tea Chloe made them before they left.

Beca held a small cooler from the basement in her hands, filled with the deer meat they wrapped in old newspaper and chunks of ice she found at the edge of the river where it had frozen. Stacie and Aubrey had a few bags of cleaned fish and Jesse had at least eight gallons of purified water.

It was quiet and they all waited, all secretly hoping this wasn't going to end badly.

Chloe and Cody were waiting for them back at the cabin. Both wide awake and counting the seconds until they returned.

It was maybe thirty minutes passed sunrise that they heard the roar of a truck engine. Aubrey looked toward the end of the bridge with wide, almost frightened eyes, not knowing how this was going to turn out. Beca had her hand behind her, on the gun tucked in the holster she hid on the back of her pants.

When the headlights came into view, they all held their breath, waiting.

Soon enough, four trucks had stopped at the other end of the bridge and one of the doors opened.

They watched as the man before, Ryann got out and waved slightly in their direction before moving around to the back of his truck.

They didn't move as the rest of the people, left their trucks and a few began walking toward them.

Aubrey shifted uncomfortably and Beca saw it. "Breath, Aubrey. It's going to be okay."

"You hope." Aubrey whispered as the men reached them.

"Morning. Ryann will be right over. Mind if I ask what you've brought?" He asked nodding toward what they held.

"Deer meat, at least fifty pounds. We could only catch a half dozen fish, but the deer meat should make up for what is missing. And water. I already boiled it, its ready to drink." Jesse said.

The man nodded in approval. "Who is the one that got the deer?"

"I am." Beca said. "But Stacie hunts too." She nodded toward Stacie and she gave him a nod of conformation.

"What about you?" He asked Jesse, his tone curious.

"Hunting isn't my strong suit." He said and the man chuckled as Ryann walked over.

"Mine neither." He said and turned as Ryann reached them.

"Fifty pounds of meat, six fish and water." He said.

Ryann looked surprised. "Deer meat huh? That will be appreciated back at home."

"And what did you bring?" Beca asked and Aubrey looked at her.

"A basket of produce, carrots, apples, a few potatoes. We were able to get two gallons of milk and two dozen eggs. It wasn't easy, but we got you two loaves of homemade bread as well."

"This is for real,"Aubrey said softly. "How do you do it? It's freezing, how are you growing food?"

The man smiled. "Green houses. Solar panels." He said. "In the summer we have fields but right now the majority of our produce is from the houses. There will be more soon, we have planted strawberry plants, and an avocado and orange tree" He said. "Oh, there is also, a pound of coffee, we traded for it near by, and a percolator. Always good to have something hot to drink."

Aubrey who had just squeezed Stacie's hand, feeling relieved looked up.

"Nearby? There are more people?"

He nodded. " A family of eight, about fifteen miles west of here. They have a grocery store. They trade as well. It's where we got a lot of our seeds. They are from around here, they don't want any trouble and they don't cause any trouble. They have been very generous with their trades."

"It's okay, Bree."Jesse said. "Look at what they have brought, this is safe."

She looked at the men carrying all of the things toward them.

"I understand this is scary and you don't trust us. And you don't have too. Let's just see how much this can help, see what it does and if it doesn't work, we can end it. And be on our way." Ryann said. "We don't want any trouble, we just want to live, and help rebuild this place. As much as we can."

Aubrey took a breath and nodded. "We didn't bring enough for it to be an equal trade." She said.

"Actually, our wells have begin to dry up and the ground is freezing. Your water will help us greatly as we don't have such easy access, like you." He said motioning to the river. "Plants need water, people need water. This is more than equal for this trade."

It only took a few minutes for them to hand off what they brought and get situated with what they were given.

"Three weeks time, same place, same time?

"That sounds good." Jesse said. "Thank you, so much."

Beca couldn't wait to get back to Chloe and show her what they got.

"There is a little meat leftover from dinner, we could make a stew." Stacie was telling Aubrey and Beca and Jesse smiled at each other.

This could work.


	47. Hot despite the cold

A/N: Someone asked for more Bechloe...so here you go! Also, Smut. Please please review?!

Aubrey closed her eyes as she brought her fresh cup of coffee up to her lips. It tasted heavenly. Fresh cows milk taking away the slight bitterness.

Beca laughed lightly as she enjoyed her own cup of black coffee. More like, shared it. Chloe had originally said she didn't want any, so they only made enough for four. Then, she smelt it and Beca was no longer the sole drinker of her coffee.

She didn't mind though, actually found it endearing and a very Chloe thing to do.

"And I thought that instant coffee we found in that house was good." Beca said and Cody looked at them like they were crazy.

"That stuff is gross."

"I used to think so too, when I was a kid." Beca said, stealing her cup back from Chloe. The other girl pouted for a second before Beca leaned in and kissed the pout from her lips. By the time she pulled back Chloe was smiling.

Jesse chuckled shaking his head.

"Hey look!" Cody said jumping up from where they sat around the fire.

They all looked at each other before getting up and following him over to the window. Snow was falling heavily and he flipped around excitedly.

"I love the snow!" He smiled before turning back around to marvel at it. "And we have a fire to keep us warm."

The five adults in the room all relaxed, though they hadn't even realized they had tensed up at all. the sight of the snow, making all of them panic, until they were reminded of their home, and working fireplace.

"Well, good, cause you're gonna come help me carry in the rest of the firewood! So later we can play in it." Jesse laughed setting his empty coffee cup on the counter.

"I'll heat up the leftover stew for lunch, I'm sure you'll be chilly when you get done." Aubrey said walking into the kitchen.

"Sounds good," Jesse said as he and Cody bundled up to go outside.

Beca who had been sitting beside Chloe, wiggled her way around to the front of her, and leaned back against her. Chloe smiled, shivering at the new warmth that Beca brought as she leaned her back against her front.

Stacie had gotten up and walked into the kitchen. Aubreys leg was still sore, and she had to stop every once in a while when it started to hurt more.

"Love, you need to rest that leg a little more." She said as Aubrey limped around the kitchen preparing to heat up the leftover stew.

"I agree!" Chloe called over her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around Beca, before leaving a soft kiss against the side of her neck.

Becas eyes fluttered closed and she smiled as she leaned into Chloe further. They were warm, and comfortable. They all had the fear, that this wouldn't last, but they also couldn't help but let themselves feel safe, and secure. They knew they deserved it.

XXX^^

Beca slowly closed Jesses bedroom door, where she had just put Cody to bed, and walked down to the end of the hallway, to her shared bedroom with Chloe.

Aubrey and Stacie were already in their room for the night and Jesse was in the living room, building up the fire before he retired for the night.

When Beca walked into the room, she had barely closed the door, when Chloe crossed the room, and pressed her back against it, her lips instantly seeking out Becas and kissed her a little harder than usual, taking Beca by surprise. A good, surprise, but by surprise none the less.

She didn't mind it, welcomed it, actually and didn't hesitate to reach up, grabbing both sides of Chloes face and pulled her closer.

Chloe smiled against her lips, as she placed her hands on Becs hips, pushing her back so she was pinned against the door.

The kiss slowed, and Beca was breathing heavily, their foreheads leaned together.

"Hi." She whispered and Chloe chuckled.

"Hey, sorry I couldn't help myself."

Beca shook her head lightly, "I like it,"

"Can I do it again then?" She asked and Beca nodded instantly.

Chloe didn't waste any time, reaching up to tangle her fingers in Becas hair.

Beca didn't bother trying to take the lead, Chloe had it already and she didn't seem keen to give it up. She let her body rest against the door, and felt her heart hammer in her chest as Chloe leaned against her, slotting her thigh between her legs.

A small moan escaped through the kiss and Chloe moved her lips from Becas, down her jaw to her neck. Becas hands were in her hair, and she moved her own hands down to explore under Becas shirt.

She could feel her muscles tensing under the soft skin of her stomach and cradled her ribs gently before moving up to firmly knead both of her breasts as she raised her thigh and Beca couldn't stop her hips from moving against her.

"Bed, please?" The younger girl gasped as Chloe nipped at her neck and she was instantly pulled away from the door and soon found herself on her back, on the bed, her pants being undone and pulled down her legs.

She smiled as Chloe removed her own jeans, and sat up, pulling her shirt off before Chloe was there again, moving over her, capturing her lips in another heated kiss.

She let her body weight rest on top of her and Beca rolled her hips up against the ones resting so perfectly against her. The kiss intensified as Chloe ran her hand down Becas stomach and pushed it into her underwear.

She liked what she felt there and had no problem pushing two fingers into her girlfriend the moment she could. Beca moaned against her mouth and tried to return the favor but Chloe used her free hand to grab Becas and pin it next to her head.

Her eyes opened in confusion. "I want to touch you,"

Chloe smiled, rubbing her nose against Becas affectionately.

"Let me," Chloe whispered, as she curled her two fingers and Becas eyes fluttered closed as she leaned her head back, exposing her slender neck to Chloe and Chloe smiled, knowing she would easily get what she wanted.

And what she wanted was full uninterrupted control of Becas body. She wanted to show her how beautiful she thought she was. She wanted her to feel as good as she made Chloe feel, all the time.

She attached her lips to her neck again, and used her thigh to push her fingers deeper. Beca let out a soft moan, and she smiled against her neck.

"I love that sound." She said as she pumped her fingers, twisting and circling them in all the right ways.

It didn't take long for her to get impatient though, and she pulled out, before yanking Becas underwear down her legs and pulling her shirt and bra off, wanting her naked. Wanting to feel her warm skin against her own.

Beca watched in awe as the beautiful woman above her took her clothes off before undressing herself so she was equally as naked.

"You are so beautiful." She said and Chloe stopped, her eyes soft and loving as she leaned down to kiss her softly.

"Not as beautiful as you," She said and stopped any argument Beca might give by dropping her hips and grinding her own center against Becas.

She had to reach up and gently cover her mouth, unless she wanted the rest of the family to hear.

"Like that?" She asked, pulling her hand away from her mouth, knowing this was Becas favorite position. Be it she on top or not.

Beca nodded quickly, her hands coming down to rest on Chloes hips, guiding her movement.

"You feel amazing, baby." She gasped and Chloe rocked her hips against her a little harder.

She couldn't stop her hands from wandering across Chloes tight abs, up to her chest, where she tweaked and pulled and massaged her firmly.

Chloe couldn't have stopped her own moan if she tried, which ended in Beca pulling her down into a rough kiss as she rocked against her her faster.

"Just like that, Chlo, I'm close."

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her own stomach tighten as Beca fell back against the bed, her back arching in pleasure.

Chloe came just a second later and fell against her, both of them glistening in sweat. Hot and content as Beca wrapped two tired, protective arms around her. They cuddled together, warm, despite the falling snow outside the window.

Happy, despite the broke world they lived in.

Ready, to continue building the rest of their lives.


	48. Ice

"Baby, you gotta get up."

Chloe smiled as she looked down at Beca who was snuggled tightly around a pillow. She was warm, comfortable and nothing could wake her up.

It was almost worrisome, when Chloe first couldn't wake her. Then Beca had let out a small sound of defiance when Chloe had started to shake her awake.

Now, she was just glad that Beca was comfortable enough to allow herself to fall so deeply into her most vulnerable state.

Chloe was fully aware that before she and Aubrey came along, Beca slept maybe three hours at the most every night. If that.

So to see her now, the dark circles under her eyes had gone away, she was refreshed, well rested and healthy. That is all Chloe could ask for.

However, it was nearly noon and Beca was still asleep. They were supposed to go hunting that morning, to have meat for the next trade, but Beca wouldn't wake up.

" M'Sleepy." She mumbled, burying her face further into her pillow and Chloe sighed sitting back.

"You are so lucky I love you." She said leaning over and leaving a soft kiss on her cheek before quietly leaving the room.

That is how she found standing in a foot of snow, thirty minutes later with Jesse and a shotgun.

"Thanks for coming, Jesse."

"No problem. I'm a terrible shot though."

She chuckled as she adjusted the old wool hat on her head so they covered her ears more.

"Yeah, Beca has told me." She laughed and Jesse shook his head, his cheeks tinged red.

"It's okay, I'm probably no better. But I don't want to show up to the next trade with nothing but fish and water."

He nodded. "It's still three days out, we have some time." He said.

She nodded. "And, Beca is the only one other than Stacie that can hunt, and I'd like to take some of that responsibility off of her. Stacie too." She said as they began walking through the snow into the woods.

"That's very kind of you. I know Beca will appreciate it."

They were quiet for the remainder of the walk, leaving the perimeter around their cabin and venturing into the woods.

Jesse kept his eyes peeled for tracks in the snow and Chloe lead them to the same tree Beca had shot the last deer from.

"It'll keep us out of the snow." She said as Jesse hoisted her up onto the lowest branch so she could climb up higher.

"Works for me," He huffed as he lifted himself up and followed after her.

Once they were situated, Chloe blew warm air into her hands and Jesse reached over pulling her jacket up further over her neck.

"Beca will kill me if I bring you back sick."

She smiled and looked down. "Thank you, Jess. You're a good guy."

He shook his head."Nah, just a decent human being." he laughed lightly and Chloe laughed as well as they settled in and waited for their next trade to walk by.

XXXXXX

An hour after they left, Aubrey looked up from where she was hanging some clothes to dry by the fire to see Beca walking in.

"Good afternoon sleeping beauty." She said and smirked at Becas disheveled confused look.

"Where's Chloe?" She asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Aubrey looked back to where she was shaking out a shirt. "She and Jesse went hunting. She didn't want to miss the trade and she couldn't get you up." She smiled, so Beca knew it wasn't a big deal.

"Jesse is with her?"

She nodded and watched a few different emotions flash across beca face before she relaxed. "Was she bundled up?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. I made sure of it."

"Thank you. Sorry, I don't know why I slept so late. I just couldn't wake up." She said walking over and dropping down beside her to help her hang the clothes.

"It's okay, obviously you needed it. Don't let Chloe fool you, I once had to flip her mattress off her bed to get her up for class."

Beca laughed. "She was in it?"

"At first." Aubrey laughed. "Then she was under it."

Beca laughed again and turned as the door opened.

Stacie walked in, stomping sow off of her boots.

"Hey honey," Aubrey said standing up and Beca smiled at the pet name she gave her girlfriend.

She watched as they greeted each other with a kiss before Aubrey stood back.

"All I got was a couple rabbits. I figured one for us and one for them. We could cook the meat, season it and make that jerky stuff Beca made that first time I met you guys. It lasted us a bit and I bet they'd like it. They didn't exactly say what they expected."

Beca finished the clothes that Aubrey left and stood up. "I'm sure that will be fine. Did you happen to see Jesse and Chloe out there?"

All she got for an answer was a confused look as Aubrey helped her out of her jacket and Beca took the rabbits.

"They went out about an hour ago, opposite direction to hunt." Aubrey said and she nodded in understanding.

"No I didn't, but the temperature is dropping, so I doubt they will be out there long."

Beca suddenly looked worried, her eyes flashing to the window before she turned and walked into the kitchen.

Aubrey helped Stacie out of her many layers as Cody walked in from the back of the cabin.

"Oh cool, rabbits!" He said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yep, come in here and watch how I do this. You'll need to do it too someday." Beca said and he climbed up onto the counter to watch how she skinned it.

XXXXXX

Chloe let out a breath the air freezing and a puff of smoke floating up above her.

"Chlo, its cold. We should get back." Jesse said. "You get sick too easily."

She shook her head. "You can go back if you want. I'm going to wait a little longer. Until sunset at least."

"Chloe, its been hours. We haven't see so much as a squirrel. Beca is probably worried sick."

She looked at him, her face falling. "I wanted to get one so bad."

He nodded. "I know you did. How about, if we go back now, I'll come back with you in the morning?"

She let out another breath looking out over the white, abandoned forest. It had started to snow again and it was below freezing. She finally nodded and began to move to get down.

Jesse got down first and had just reached up to help Chloe jump from the lowest branch when she gasped.

"Jesse, behind you!" She cried as he was hit from behind and fell into the snow.

A creature, they hadn't seen, covered in what looked like ice was on top of him and she fumbled for her gun as the sound of its teeth clashing together rang in her ears.

She got her pistol and jumped down, her legs buckling and she fell, but raised her gun and shot it in the side of the head.

Jesse was gasping for air as he pushed it off of him and sat up.

"Thank you." He breathed. "Are you okay?"

she nodded.

"Are you?" he nodded too,

"You got him before he got me." He said standing up and grabbing her arms and pulling her up out of the snow.

"Come on. Let's get out of here."

"That's the first one I have seen since we got here." She said. "We should make sure the perimeter is good when we get back."

"Agreed." He said before he stopped dead and grabbed Chloe pulling her back.

She looked confused for a moment before she heard a snarl.

About ten yards ahead of them, trudging through the snow, was a hoard.

"They're coming from the direction of the cabin." Chloe gasped and Jesse grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Back in the tree, come on." He said and she hurried over, she didn't have time to even try and reach up before his hard grip was on her waist lifting her up and she grabbed the branch to steady herself, before climbing quickly so Jesse could get up there too.

They were near the top by the time the hoard reached them and Chloe looked in horror at the sheer size of it.

"You don't think-" She stared and he shook his head.

"We would have heard gunshots."

"What do we do?" She asked and froze as the hoard got louder and a few looked up, spotting them.

A/N: I'm trying so hard to make this what you all want but I'm not getting a very good response at all. Can y'all please review? So i know it's is okay? It would really help me want to update more often.


	49. Bang, Bang, Snap

The sun was setting, and the snow was falling more heavily. Chloe couldn't help the constant tremble of her body as she tried to remain perched perfectly still on her branch.

Jesse was behind her, and though his body shook as well, he had always had an impeccable immune system. Chloe didn't and he knew that. She absolutely could not get sick. She had already just barely dodged it not long before. Her immune system had already been compromised. Now? It wouldn't take much for her to once again fall ill.

The hoard however, had seen them, as they fled up the tree and they stood at the bottom, clawing at the frozen bark, their snarls loud in the abandoned forest.

"I have twelve bullets." Chloe said, her voice soft and shaky.

"Ive counted twenty-three of them." Jesse said looking down at the creatures.

Chloe closed her eyes, her breath expelling in short shaky clouds of smoke.

"It's almost dark, they came from the direction of the cabin, but I didn't hear any shots. And they would have come looking for us by now if they had seen them." Jesse said. "Chloe, I think we are going to have to try and fight through them."

She looked back at him. "I agree. Maybe if we shoot as many as possible at once, the shots will alert them and they will come."

He nodded. "Do you have your knife?"

She looked down, lifting the bottom of her too-big jacket to show the knife attached at her hip.

"Good, tuck your jacket behind the hilt."

She did as she was told and looked back down at the hoard.

"How do we want to do this?"

"Jesse looked around and spotted a thick branch about fifteen feet off the ground, extending out just as far from the tree.

"There, that branch. You go..." he trailed off looking in the opposite direction. "Go over there to that branch, see it?" He pointed and she looked, nodding her head.

"Make as much noise as you can, draw them over there. I will go across that one, and jump down. From there I will take out as many as I can, with my knife. If any get close to me, shoot them."

She nodded quickly, and looked toward the branch she would be on. "You sure about this?" He asked. "You don't have to do this if you aren't comfortable."

She looked back at him. "I do have to do this. I have to get home to Beca." She said. And before Jesse could say anything she was slowly making her way over to the branch.

He smiled softly at her, seeing how far she had come from the scared, uncertain girl they had met not long ago.

When she was situated, she looked at him and gave him a thumbs up. He nodded once and she pulled out her knife and used the handle to hit against the tree.

"Hey! Over here," She called hitting it harder until they looked and began making their way over.

"Come on you nasty things," She called. "Come this way,"

Jesse smiled and when the majority of them were far enough away, he climbed down and moved over to his branch. Carefully climbing as fast across it as he could. Then looked back at Chloe who had her focus on the creatures.

He took a breath before dropping off the branch and landed with a soft thud in the snow below.

A loud snarl sounded as a few of them heard this and the started for him.

"Hey! No look at me! Come to me!" Chloe yelled stabbing her knife into the tree and started clapping her hands loudly. "Come on!" She yelled and started whistling, this being enough to get a few of them to turn back.

Jesse stood up, feeling pain radiate through his body at the long drop. He grabbed his knife with a grimace and instantly went for the first creature he could and stabbed it in the side of its head.

Chloe grabbed her knife and sheathed it before pulling the gun from around her back and aimed, she waited for the right moment before she pulled the trigger and the bang was deafening as she hit two of them in a row, with one shot.

She aimed again as Jesse got another one. This time only hitting one,but the shot was just as loud.

She killed at least six before Jesse was being out numbered and she shifted to climb back across the branch for a better aim. She heard a crack and froze. The branch was breaking.

"Fuck, Jesse!" She called and he looked up breathlessly to see the look of horror on her face as the branch cracked again, right above half a dozen creatures.

XXXXXX

Beca shot up from the couch and Stacie was already running from the back of the house as She yanked a jacket off the hook by the door.

"Did you hear that too?" Stacie asked and she nodded quickly as Aubrey hurried in from the bedroom with Cody.

"So many shots," She said, "You don't think..."

"It has to be." Beca said grabbing her gun, as well as a pistol.

"Stay with Cody," Stacie said grabbing her own gun and kissing her swiftly. "We will be back."

Cody grabbed onto Aubreys hand and Beca was out the door instantly.

"Boil some water!" She called over her shoulder as they took off as fast as they could through the nearly two feet of snow.

XXXXXX

Jesse shoved a creature away and stabbed another trying to get to Chloe as fast as he could. "Don't move!" He called and she nodded, staying still as she watched Jesse fight the hoard alone with nothing but a knife.

She reached back and slowly grabbed the gun, bringing it back around. She could still try to help.

She aimed and shot again, hitting another one, giving Jesse time to pull his knife from the skull of one of them just to thrust it back into another.

The creatures that were below her were making their way toward Jesse, their snarls loud and angry.

"Jesse watch out!" She cried seeing one hit him from the side and send him sprawling into the snow.

"No!" She screamed and shifted again just as multiple shots rang out.

Jesse felt the weight fall on him and the sound of feet crunching in the snow.

"Chloe don't move!"

He felt the relief flood his system at the sound of Becas voice, thankful, this tree wasn't too far from the cabin. And knowing the hoard hadn't infiltrated their perimeters.

Chloe let out a breath as Beca and Stacie appeared out of the trees, firing their guns rapidly. She watched as the creatures fell one after another.

There were maybe six left when the branch cracked again and Chloe felt her body drop an inch or so.

"It's breaking!"

Jesse was running over, and Beca had just shot another creature when Stacie was knocked back into the snow, two creatures dropping on her at the same time. The branch finally snapped and Beca could do nothing but watch as Chloe fell at least twenty feet landing with a thud into the snow below.

Jesse was still running toward her when Stacie screamed for help.

Beca felt the fear flood her system as she flipped around and fired her gun multiple times at the creatures on Stacie.

They fell on her and Stacie wasn't moving below them.

"Beca, she's hurt!" Jesse called and Beca looked over. She couldn't even see Chloe, as she was practically buried in the snow.

She started toward Chloe, her eyes hard and tear filled when she heard a grunt and looked behind her.

"Please, help me."

She let out a breath and ran over, grabbing a creature and yanking it off of Stacie.

"Were you bit?" She demanded. Stacie was bloody and breathless but shook her head.

"I just got stuck, I can get it from here, go, hurry." she said and Beca nodded, turning and running as fast as she could toward the motionless figure in the snow, the branch she was in, still underneath her back.

There were still two creatures left and Stacie shot one that had just reached them, before getting up and running for the other one.

Beca dropped into the snow beside Chloe, were was awake, but wasn't moving.

"Chloe, Baby, are you okay, what hurts?"

"M-my back." She gasped, and Beca noticed she hadn't moved her head at all. She seemed unnaturally stiff.

"You'll be okay, I promise. We have to get you home and warm. You cant get sick." She said and could hear the thickness in her own voice.

"I-I cant move, Beca it hurts." Chloe said and a tear rolled down into her hair.

"I know, I know it does. It'll be okay, we will carry you."She said and She and Jesse began lifting her as Stacie ran over.

She cried out in pain and Stacie stopped them. "Stop! You could hurt her more."

"We cant just leave her in the snow she will freeze." Beca said and Stacie nodded.

"I know, but if her back is broken...you cant move her. You could make it worse."

They slowly lowered her back into the snow and Beca stood up, pushing her hands back through her hair before furiously wiping her tears.

She turned and lifted Chloes jacket, yanking the knife from her hip and ran over to a small pine tree. She dropped down and began angrily hacking at the trunk.

Jesse unzipped his jacket and hurried over to help her. It wasn't long before he was laying his jacket over the pine needles and they very carefully laid Chloe onto the tree. Beca took her jacket off and wrapped it around her before all three of them Grabbed branches and began dragging the tree across the snow, around the dead creatures and toward the cabin.

Chloe lay on it, silently crying, trying not to move as the tree acted like a gurney of sorts.

Beca kept her determined look as she pulled the tree. She had to get her home. She had to get her warm. She couldn't have a broken back. She just couldn't.

None of this would have happened if she wouldn't have slept so late. Chloe wouldn't have been out there. She wouldn't have been up in that tree.

She couldn't even be bothered to wake up that morning. She didn't tell Chloe she loved her. She didn't tell her to be safe.

This was all her fault.

The thoughts bounced around in her head, making her anger at herself grow. If it weren't for her, Chloe wouldn't be hurt. If she had gotten up, like she was supposed to, Chloe would be okay.

They were close to the cabin, and Jesse and Stacie had no idea that Beca was tearing herself apart as she pulled the tree.

Chloe let out a whimper every so often and every time she did, Beca gave herself another mental punch. She could see the smoke from the chimney in the night sky and let out a sharp breath.

It was then, the snarls began to echo around them.

A/N: the response to last chapter was truly amazing and honestly helped me get this one out s quickly. So thank you very much. Please review?


	50. Warmth

They stopped, their breathing labored as they looked frantically around in the darkness. They could hear them, but they couldn't see them. The gunshots must have alerted more.

"Beca, can you pull this alone?" Jesse asked as he gently lowered the branches he was holding.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, here." She said, holding the trunk of the tree with one hand and held out her gun in the other.

"Please, be safe. If there are too many just run. Run home as fast as you can." She said and Jesse could see the tears staining her face.

"I will, I promise." He said pulling her into a hug.

Stacie was knelt down by Chloe. "Tell Bree I'll be home soon, okay?" She said and Chloe was able to nod once, her own tears of pain and fear making her unable to speak. "Beca will take you home." She said reassuringly. "We will be right behind you."

Beca grabbed the trunk firmly and while Jesse and Stacie went to the right, toward the sounds, she used all the strength she had and pulled the tree through the snow.

XXXXXX

Cody was knelt in the corner of his room, his head hidden behind his knees and his hands over his ears. The gunshots were relentless. They were close, they were loud and he was terrified.

Aubrey stood, pacing the living room, fully clothed, multiple pots of boiled water, and fresh towels keeping warm by the fire, and a gun in her hand.

Every shot that went off made her flinch. It was when a voice rang out, between shots, that she stopped her pacing and ran for the door, flinging it open.

Across the large empty yard, at the edge of the trees, she could make out a small figure.

"I need help!"

She was running, fast and hard through the snow. She didn't realize how deep it had gotten until she was in it and she pushed harder as she neared the trees.

"What happened?" She asked as she jumped over the perimeter line and reached her.

"It's a hoard, they were surrounded." Beca said and Aubrey moved around her to see Chloe was laying on a fallen tree.

"Oh god," She gasped as she dropped down in the snow. "Was she bitten?" She demanded as she let her hands frantically hover over her.

"No, she fell from a tree. She's hurt, I need help getting her inside."

Aubrey nodded, standing up and Beca nodded toward the line. "Push that down into the snow, so I call pull her over it without it breaking."

Aubrey quickly did as she was asked and watched as Beca pulled the tree across the perimeter and towards the house.

More shots rang out and she jumped.

"Jesse and Stacie stayed behind to keep them away from here, Chloe needs to get inside, its too cold and she fell into the snow."

Aubrey wasted no time in helping Beca pull the tree up the two steps onto the grimaced and beca closed her eyes tightly at the whimpering sounds she made.

She gently put the tree down right outside the door.

"Chlo,"She started as she knelt beside her. To her delight, Chloe was able to turn her head and look at her. Her face was tear wrecked and it looked like they were freezing on her cheeks.

"We have to lift you off of this. Just to the couch, do you think we can do that?"

She let out a breath and nodded. "I don't think its broken,"She practically whispered.

Beca felt the relief flood her at those words. However, it still didn't make it better. Chloe was still hurt, that hadn't changed. The severity just seemed to have gone down.

Beca carefully hooked her hands under Chloes arms while Aubrey lifted under her knees, keeping her back as straight as possible. She winced and couldn't stop the sobs that escaped her as they carried her inside.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Beca cried with her as they carefully laid her on the couch.

"What hurts?" Aubrey asked as she began gently removing Chloes wet and freezing clothes.

Beca closed the door before hurrying to the back room to get her fresh warm clothes.

"My back, mostly. But I don't think its broken. I can move, it just hurts."

"You couldn't move earlier?" Aubrey asked as she pulled the wet pants down her frozen legs.

She shook her head. "No, I think it was because I was in an awkward position, and the air was knocked out of me. I couldn't breathe."

Beca heard this as she re-entered the rooms and dropped beside her once more.

"Baby,I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." She cried and Chloe reached up, pulling Beca down to leave a kiss on her lips.

"It's not." She said. "Don't do that, Beca, it's not your fault. It was an accident."

Aubrey brought over a pot of water and warm towels, laying them over her legs and stomach.

She shivered, but the warmth was welcome as Aubrey covered her feet as well.

"You're so brave, Chlo. You did so well out there."

Chloe smiled tiredly. "All I did was fall. You did all the hard work."

Beca shook her head, more tears falling as she smiled down at her. "You saved Jesses life. Shooting from up in the tree. You did well."

Chloe smiled and let her eyes close as they both carefully unbuttoned her shirt and carefully removed it, covering her in more warm towels.

She began shaking as her body tried to warm itself and Aubrey went into the kitchen to make her a warm cup of tea.

"I love you, Chloe. So much. I'm so sorry I wasn't awake this morning. You should have never been out there. It should have been me." She said, holding onto one of Chloes hands, switching between rubbing warmth back into it, and kissing her fingers.

"Please don't blame yourself. This was an accident Baby. And I am okay. I really think it was just the tree being under my back, it hurt and I couldn't breathe. It's not broken, I can move."

Beca stared at her for a moment, her eyes flooding with fresh tears as she dropped her head onto Chloes chest.

"I love you, Beca. You got me out of there, I'm okay."

She nodded, kissing Chloes collar bone, then her chin, and finally her lips. "I love you too. I was so scared."

Chloe shivered again. "Me too. But it okay."

Aubrey nearly dropped the cup of tea she was carrying in when the door opened and Jesse and Stacie hurried in.

"Oh thank god." She said setting it onto the coffee table and pulling Stacie into her arms.

Stacie held her tightly, both of them ignoring how cold she was and the fact that she was covered in creature blood.

"Is she okay?" Jesse asked coming around the couch and Beca nodded, pulling the towel over her more, before using another one to dry her hair.

"She can move. It knocked the breath out of her, and the tree was hurting her back. But she said she is okay other than that."

Jesse sighed in relief. "Where is Cody?" He asked and Aubrey pulled away from Stacie.

"In your room, he is scared,"

Jesse pulled his hat off and went in that direction as Stacie began pulling her wet clothes off.

Within the hour, Chloe was warm, redressed and asleep, covered in blankets. The cup of tea, nearly empty next to the couch.

Stacie and Aubrey washed their clothes in the bathtub and cleaned the blood off of them, before Stacie washed herself. Beca was on the floor next to the couch, her hand holding onto Chloes, also sound asleep.

Aubrey covered her with a blanket, and restocked the fire to keep them warm.

Cody wouldn't leave the room, and had fallen asleep in Jesses arms with the reassurance that everything was okay, and Chloe was going to be okay.

They didn't know the extent of Chloes injuries, wanting her to rest before they checked the state of her back. Her shirt was free of blood so that was relieving.

Stacie and Aubrey were climbing into bed that night, exhausted, physically and emotionally. Ready to go to sleep and reenergize for what tomorrow would bring.

It was when Stacie turned, to get comfortable after kissing Aubrey goodnight that the blonde saw it.

On her left shoulder blade, were four jagged scratches.

She felt the air leave her lungs, and everything seemed to go quiet aside from the sound of her own heart beat in her ears.

A/N: please review? And have a little faith (to one guest reviewer)


	51. Scratches

Becas eyes flew open, the word, "No," spilling fearfully from her lips before her eyes were even fully open as she sat up quickly.

She was leaning over Chloe instantly, trying to soothe the painful sounding cough coming from the injured girl.

"No, no no. You cant be sick." She whispered, brushing Chloes hair back from her face. Her tired cerulean eyes slowly opened as the coughing subsided and she looked at Beca sadly.

"Chlo?"

"I'm sorry," She whispered tiredly, her eyes slipping closed again.

"Don't be sorry, its okay. It's gonna be okay."

"Beca,"

She turned quickly to find Jesse standing behind her. He took in the fear and worry on Becas face and hurried into the kitchen as Stacie and Aubrey were walking in. Aubrey heading straight for Chloe, her face the picture of dread and Beca noticed her eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying.

She didn't get a chance to ask before Jesse was returning and Beca sighed in relief as he held out a bottle.

She had completely forgotten about the few bottles of cough syrup and cold pills he had found on his initial trip to the place he found Cody.

"Thank you." She said taking it and using shaky hands opened the bottle, pouring the correct dosage into the cup.

"Chlo," She said and Chloes eyes opened.

"I have medicine." She said and scooted closer to her, using one hand to gently cup the back of Chloes head and helped her raise it. She put the cup to her lips and she slowly drank it. Her face twisting in disgust at the flavor.

"I'd prefer the alcohol Kommissar used."

Through her exhausted eyes she saw Beca deflate, her eyes dropping and though was weak, and tired she reached out taking Becas hand.

"I'm sorry, bad joke." She said and Beca looked up at her, smiling lightly.

"Not funny, Chlo." She said leaning in and pressing her lips to Chloes warm forehead.

"Thank you." She whispered, her eyes slipping closed again.

"Sleep baby," Beca said handing the empty cup to Aubrey and she stood to rinse it out.

"Please stay with me?"

"I'm right here." She said and looked towards the kitchen where Stacie was pulling a crying Aubrey into her arms.

She looked back at Chloe who's eyes were closed again. "I love you, I'm right here." She said and stood, making sure she was asleep before quietly walking into the kitchen.

"Bree, whats going on?" She asked. "If you're worried about Chloe, she will be okay, the medicine will help and no one is angry-" Beca rambled, fearing Aubrey was scared because of how Luke had treated Chloe and her sickness when they were together.

"It's not that." Aubrey said, pulling away from Stacie and she looked to see Stacie was crying as well.

"What happened?" She asked softly and Jesse walked up, looking between them, his brow furrowed in concern.

Stacie looked at Aubrey, sniffling and nodded. Aubrey nodded as well and when Stacie turned their back to them, becas heart stopped.

She knew before the scratches were even revealed.

"Oh god."

XXXXXX

Aubrey was sitting, wordlessly by the fire. Her eyes bloodshot. She hadn't slept. Stacie hadn't slept.

Really, no one aside from Cody and Chloe had gotten any rest the night before.

Now Chloe was sitting propped up on the couch. They had been able to help her sit up and examined the bad bruising on her back.

Other than her skin being painted black and blue by the branch she landed on, and the cough she had, she was okay.

As okay as she could be with the news she was given that morning. Beca had handed her a hot cup of tea. She mixed a little milk and the last of their honey into the cup. It helped suppress her cough and warmed her insides. She told her about the scratches and held her while she silently cried.

Beca sat beside her now, All of them quiet. Jesse had taken Cody out to make sure the perimeter lines were solid and added a few more, for good measure.

Stacie was in her and Aubreys bedroom. she was scared, and upset and couldn't stand to see the fear and sadness in everyone's eyes.

She was getting dressed, readying her bow. They needed meat, and she was going to make sure they had it. If it was the last thing she did.

XXXXXX

Cody stood, knee deep in the snow, holding piece of rope that had aluminum cans dangling on it.

"Why's everyone so sad?" He asked. "Is it because Chloe is hurt?"

Jesse let out a breath and looked at the child. He was only eight years old and was so strong, and brave. He had become comfortable with them, they were his new family. Jesse didn't want to have to tell him that Stacie soon wouldn't be with them anymore.

"Yeah. She got sick, in the snow. We are worried she wont get better."

"But she's got medicine."

Jesse nodded, taking the rope Cody held and began to tie it to a tree. "You're right."

"Medicine helps people, so she will be okay. Right?"

He looked up at him. His young eyes, wondering and hopeful, yet filled with worry.

"Right." He nodded. "Chloe will be just fine."

XXXXXX

Jesse and Cody walked into the cabin and walked into a very loud, heated argument.

"Stacie, are you serious?!You honestly think I'm going to let you do this?"

Aubrey was on her feet, her eyes filled with angry tears, her palms open and facing to the ceiling as she demanded an answer. Stacie stood, fully dressed. Her crossbow on her back, headed for the door.

"Yes, Aubrey. You have to have meat. There is another trade coming up, and you guys will have to eat too."

Aubrey stopped and Cody and Jesse looked at them guardedly. Beca was on the couch, Chloe curled into her, both of them had tears in their eyes as they watched the fight.

"We." Aubrey said softly. "We will need it."

Stacie stopped, letting out a breath. "Aubrey, baby," She said moving closer to her before pulling her into her arms.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it like that. I just... I need to hunt. I need to make sure there is food."

"Stop talking like that." Aubrey cried."Please, I cant stand it. I cant-" She was crying almost uncontrollably now and Chloe tucked her face into Becas neck as her emotions took over as well.

Jesse dropped his gaze, ringing the gloves he had just taken off together.

Cody looked from him to Stacie and Aubrey.

"What's going on?" He asked, His voice small.

Aubrey opened her eyes and looked at Cody. She couldn't say it.

"Please, please stay with me here. Don't go." She begged and Stacie held her tighter.

"Okay, I wont. I wont go, I promise."

Aubrey squeezed her eyes closed tighter, willing her tears to stop but she couldn't.

"Don't leave me, ever."

XXXXXX

Beca had reluctantly left to try and get them something for dinner. Chloe took more medicine and had fallen asleep while Aubrey and Stacie stayed close together, in front of the fire. Talking softly.

"Bree... I don't want you to do it. When it happens... I don't want you to be the one."

Aubrey looked down, tears dripping onto her knees. "Then who?"

Stacie shook her head slowly. "I don't want any of you to do it but... I'll talk with Jesse."

"Can we talk about something else? I don't want to think about who is going to shoot you."

Jesse was in the kitchen with Cody, preparing a stew that he hoped would soon have meat in it. They were running low on food. He used caned veggies and canned potatoes in the stew, as well as the last of their chicken broth.

Cody was next to him, helping him open cans. "Jesse, everyone was crying, Aubrey and Stacie never yell at each other. What happened?"

Jesse didn't speak for a few minutes and Cody had almost given up, realizing he wasn't going to be told.

"Listen buddy. Something happened last night."

"When Chloe got hurt?" He asked, turning to face Jesse.

He nodded. "Yeah. You see, there were so many creatures and there were only three of us. Beca tried to get to her in time but-"

His face fell and he looked first down at his shoes, then up towards the living room where he could see Stacie laying against Aubrey.

"She got bit."He finished Jesses story and Jesse stopped, feeling all of his emotions hit him at once.

"She was scratched. By one of them. They didn't mean to fight, they were just...everyone is really scared."

"Scratched?" He asked and Jesse nodded.

He watched as Cody got a look of determination on his face and hurried from the kitchen into the living room.

"Cody-" Jesse tried to stop him but he came to a halt in front of the couple.

"I want to see it." He demanded and Stacie looked at him in shock.

"Cody, its okay-"

"No, please! You have to let me see it." He said and Chloe began to stir at his raised voice.

"Cody, please, keep your voice down. I don't think its a good idea for you to-"

"Look," He said and turned around slightly lifting his shirt.

"Aubrey didn't see it at first, then she moved in closer, lifting her hand to brush across a very faint scar on his lower back.

"Cody what is this?"

He dropped his shirt and turned around. Chloe was fully awake now and was trying to sit up, to see what was happening.

Jesse helped her and they watched in curiosity.

"Me and my dad got stuck in a store once. I was passing a doorway and a creature was there, it grabbed me, but my dad was fast, and he pulled me away and killed it. But it scratched me. It hurt a lot, and my dad was quiet for days. But, I never got sick. the scratches don't make you like them. Just if you die, or they bite you."

Aubrey and Stacie looked at each other, huge smiles of relief breaking out on their faces and Aubrey practically tackled her onto her back, peppering her face with Kisses.

Cody smiled and didn't see Stacie reach up before he was pulled to the ground with them and bth attacked him with tickles and kisses.

"Thank you Cody." Stacie said as they slowed their assault on his stomach and his laughter died out.

"You're welcome Stacie. I'm glad you will be okay. I love you a lot. I love all of you."

Chloe was wiping her tears and Jesse was trying to hide his as the door opened.

The three on the floor sat up quickly and Beca stopped, seeing their smiles.

"What's going on?"

"Stacie is going to be okay!" Cody said. "Scratches don't turn you, I've been scratched before!"

Becas shoulders relaxed. "Oh thank god." she said and closed the door.

"Beca what have you got?" Chloe asked trying to see over the back of the couch.

She raised up the two rabbits she killed.

"Dinner."

XXXXXX

"I'm really glad you're going to be okay, Stace." Beca said that night as they cleaned up after dinner. Cody was in bed, Jesse too as he was exhausted. Chloe was asleep on the couch and Aubrey and Stacie were helping clean up.

"Me too. I couldn't imagine life without you." Aubrey said and Stacie leaned in to kiss her.

"I'm glad too. I wasn't ready to go yet." She said.

Beca smiled sadly as she put their leftover stew into a cooler filled with snow.

"Next trade is in two days at sunset. I'm going to get up early and go hunting." She said.

"I'll go with you." Stacie said and Aubrey let out a sound of displeasure.

"Babe, it will be okay. I'm okay. Four eyes are better than two and we need the meat."

She sighed but nodded. "Just please be careful."

Stacie nodded, pulling her into her and kissing her again.

Beca smiled. "Get a room." She chuckled and Stacie laughed.

"Gladly."

Beca blew out the candles that lit the kitchen and was adding wood to the fire as Aubrey and Stacie said goodnight and went to their room.

Once the fire was big and glowing Beca got settled on the floor next to the couch and kissed Chloe softly before getting comfortable.

Stacie was okay. The medicine seemed to be helping Chloes cough and they were going to try and get her up walking the next day.

She let out a breath and was on the verge of falling asleep when three loud bangs rattled the front door of the cabin.


	52. Give and Take

By the time Beca could get up off the floor, Jesse had entered the room, Cody's rifle pointed at the door.

Chloe was pulling herself up, wincing as it strained her back and Beca kept her eyes on the door as she gently stopped Chloe from further hurting her back.

"Jesse," Beca whispered, her voice cautious as her eyes shot toward the door again.

"Stay down," He whispered and looked behind him as Aubrey and Stacie entered, both holding their guns. Cody behind them, his eyes wide.

"Get down with Beca." He said and Cody quickly hurried over, dropping down beside her, his hands gripping the blanket that covered Chloe. Beca reached around, pulling him in front of her so he was between the her and the couch.

Stacie and Aubrey each took a side of the door as Jesse stayed in front of it.

"Beca what's happening?" Chloe asked as Beca leaned over her.

"I don't know, try to relax." She said leaving a kiss on Chloes forehead.

Chloe squeezed her eyes closed as the banging started again and she felt Becas body tense above her.

It was when she could hear Jesse opening the door, that Beca moved further and she realized she was using her body to shield her and Cody as she lay unable to move on the couch.

She reached up, grabbing Becas arm as she waited. For what? She didn't know. Gun shots? Snarls?

"Jesus Christ."

Becas head flew up at Jesses voice and saw who was standing in the door way.

"Ryann?"

"Hi Jesse. I'm sorry to wake you up like this."

Beca looked down at Chloe, unsure of what was happening. "Stay down." She whispered and when Chloe nodded she moved back and stood up.

In the doorway was Ryann and two other men.

"What's going on?" Jesse asked, lowering his gun, but not putting the safety on.

"There is a hoard, two miles east of here." He said. "It's broken up and we have had our perimeter broken. It's being taken care of, but we sent out groups to check on you and another camp five miles south of here. We would have been here earlier but the snow slowed us down."

Jesse nodded. "Come in, out of the cold."

Ryann nodded and he and the other two stepped in. "This is Eli and Carter." He introduced them as they walked in and Stacie and Aubrey kept their eyes on them.

Beca walked around the couch. "Some of the hoard has already made it here." She said.

He looked at her, pulling his hat off and using it to wipe his forehead.

"Are you guys alright?" He asked and Beca nodded.

"What about her?" The man, Eli asked. Looking at Chloe.

"She fell about twenty feet from a tree. Landed on the branch and hurt her back." Jesse said.

"Are you okay?" Ryann asked her and Beca moved to stand next to her.

"I'm okay, thank you." She said and Cody watched as they talked, slowly moving to the top of the couch where he was more hidden.

"We brought you some things." Ryann said looking away from Chloe.

Carter took of the backpack he was wearing and handed it to Jesse.

"What's this?" He asked.

"We aren't sure if we will be able to get back out here for the trade, with the snow still falling. So there is some milk, eggs and dried meat."

Aubrey moved into the kitchen as Chloe again tried to sit up.

"Chlo, stop you're gonna hurt yourself." Beca said gently but Chloe ignored her and Beca sighed as she helped her sit up.

"We don't have our share for the trade yet." She said, her voice filled with worry.

Ryann looked at her.

"I hunted, but the hoard came and then I fell. We didn't get our share yet-"

Beca dropped down beside her, hearing the worry in her voice.

"It's quite alright." He said raising his hands to calm her. "We came early and we understand the snow has made it difficult. You are still getting settled here, it's okay." He said. "We have plenty to get us by, we just wanted to make sure you had what you need. The snow doesn't usually fall this heavily and it's caught us all by surprise."

Chloe started to relax and Beca rubbed her hand gently over her back.

"We have some left overs here, it's not much." Aubrey said and they looked to see she had the last of the stew they made.

"No, please. This wasn't meant to be an early trade. We really just came here to make sure everything is running smoothly and to tell you about the hoard." He said.

"Keep your food, you need it more than we do." Eli said.

"There are some hats and gloves in that bag as well as some matches." Ryann said and Jesse nodded.

"Thank you, really this is very kind and unexpected."

Ryann smiled. "We take care of each other out here."

Stacie smiled gently. "At least let us send you with some water? We have a stock pile and you said your well was drying up."

He smiled. "That would we wonderful. We have been melting the snow and purifying it."

"Well this will save you some time." Stacie said and motioned for Carter to follow her.

Ryann looked at Chloe. "Sounds like a pretty nasty fall." He said and she chuckled.

"Yeah it wasn't the most fun I've had in a while."

He laughed lightly. "Are you in pain?"

"My back is bruised, I was going to try to get up and moving tomorrow." She said and his brow furrowed as her voice became strained before a painful cough escaped her lungs.

"And you're sick?"

She looked at Beca, the unnecessary apology in her eyes.

"I have a weak immune system." She said quietly.

"We have medicine for her." Beca said, "She just started coughing so we think...we hope we caught it in time and can take care of it."

He nodded. "Just in case, either me or someone from camp will be back in a couple of days. We have some medicine back home and pain medication for your back, if you think you can wait that long?"

"You don't have to do that." She argued but he waved her off. "Again, we take care of each other. If you have trouble walking, please don't push yourself. We don't have any doctors but we have a nurse at camp. I'll have him come as well and check you out."

Chloe looked at Beca who smiled lightly at her.

"Thank you, Ryann. Really, that's very kind." Beca said and he nodded.

He looked over at Cody who was huddled near the top of the couch.

"Hey little man."

Beca looked at the boy. "It's okay Cody. You don't have to be scared."

Cody shuffled away from the couch and over to Beca, his eyes on Ryann.

"I bet you do a good job looking out for these girls, huh?" He asked and Cody looked at Beca who winked at him.

"I help Jesse do chores and build the noise traps and I help Chloe bring in fire wood."

"That's good! I bet they really appreciate it."

"We do." Chloe smiled reaching out and bopping his nose. He laughed ducking away from her.

"Are you sure?" Came Carter's voice as he walked back in with Stacie.

"Of course, we have the river we can get water anytime."

Aubrey and Stacie emptied the backpack they brought and loaded it with at least two gallons worth of water bottles.

"Thank you again, for this." Jesse said looking over the items laid out on the counter.

"No problem, you have a sick one and a child to care for. Some of us will be back as soon as possible with more medicine and our nurse to check her out." He nodded towards Chloe and she smiled shyly.

Beca stayed by Chloes side, Cody tucked into her as well as Stacie, Aubrey and Jesse walked them out and then went to check the perimeter.

"This is weird isn't it?" Chloe asked Beca as Cody dozed off on Becas makeshift bed.

"After so many years of fearing other people. We meet this group that goes above and beyond to help others."

Beca leaned in and kissed the frown off her lips. "This is a good thing Chlo. They are good people, and we need their help as much as they need ours. I know it worries you, and you don't like to take without giving. But they don't mean us any harm. They understand we won't always have something to give them, not right away."

She nodded. "Just different. Aside from you and Jesse and then Stacie, we never met anyone willing to help. I guess it just makes me nervous. Especially after you know... everything with Komissar."

Beca looked down. "Yeah, I understand."

They looked up as the door opened and they walked back in.

"Holy fuck it's cold." Stacie said shrugging her jacket off.

"The lines are strong. The woods are quiet and we didn't see any new tracks in the snow." Jesse said.

"That's good."

Aubrey busied herself with putting the milk and eggs into their makeshift cooler of snow.

"It's late, we should get some sleep." Beca yawned and began helping Chloe to lie back down.

"I'll take him back to bed." Jesse said picking Cody up.

"Sleep well." He whispered walking back to his room.

Aubrey and Stacie walked in. "Are you guys good?" Aubrey asked and Beca nodded looking at Chloe who was already drifting off.

"Yeah, we're good. Get some sleep guys."

They said their good nights and Beca once again added some wood to the fire before checking Chloe once more.

She tucked her in, checked her forehead finding it was warm but not too warm. Then after kissing her goodnight, she laid down again. This time, falling asleep uninterrupted.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. Please review?


	53. Too easy

Beca frowned at the whimper that escaped Chloes lips as she and Aubrey attempted to help her stand.

"You don't have to do this now, Chloe. You can rest more." Beca tried but was quickly shot down by a shake of Chloes head.

"No, being stuck on the couch isn't helping me or anybody." She said and Aubrey sighed as she felt Chloes grip on her hand tighten.

"Okay let's try again." She said and Beca and Aubrey exchanged glances before once again trying to help Chloe to stand up.

This time, through closed eyes and gritted teeth she made it to her feet.

Beca held her tightly, making sure she knew that had most of her weight. Aubrey did the same.

"Are you okay?" Beca asked as Chloes knees wobbled slightly.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. It hurt at first but it's easing off."

"Do you want to try a few steps?" Aubrey asked and she nodded.

"Yeah let's see if I can make it to the other couch." She nodded to the couch to their left that faced the right side of the house.

They carefully helped her inch her way over, her legs shook and she grimaced a couple of times but it wasn't long before they were gently sitting her on the couch.

Beca dropped down beside her seeing Chloes huge smile.

"I did it." She said and Aubrey smiled as Beca kissed her softly.

"You did, that was awesome." She said and Chloe leaned into her.

"Are you hurting?" Aubrey asked and Chloe looked up at her.

"No, not bad."

"That's good." She said and moved into the kitchen. "Who wants coffee?"

Beca and Chloe smiled at each other.

"Me." They said in unison.

XXXXXX

Jesse smirked at Cody as the little boy looked longingly at the snow.

They had gone out with Stacie, to hunt and were pleased to have gotten two rabbits. They were close to the cabin, and they went out together just in case they ran into any stragglers from the hoard. Cody was restless being in the house and had begged to go out and help, but now he was bored of hunting and Jesse could see he wanted to play in the snow.

"Why don't you go back to the cabin and let them know we will be back soon, and then have some fun in the snow?" Jesse suggested and Cody smiled at him.

"Really?"

"Are you warm enough?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah Chloe made me layer a lot." He said.

Stacie smiled at them from the corner of her eye as she reloaded her crossbow.

"Can you make it back by yourself?"

"Yeah, I can see the corner of the cabin from here." He said and looked at Jesse excitedly.

"Alright, we will stay right here and watch you."

"Thanks Jesse! Bye Stacie!" He called as he turned and ran through the snow toward the cabin.

They watched him go, and kept an eye on their surroundings. It was almost dead silent outside so they were able to hear his boots thudding across the wooden porch.

"You're good with him." Stacie commented as they continued on.

"Thanks."

"He's a tough kid. It's nice to see him excited to play in the snow." She said.

He nodded. "He wants to be helpful, and it's good for him to learn these things." Jesse said as he lifted a branch for Stacie to step under.

"But it's also important for him to be a kid. Especially if he has a safe place, like he does with us." She said.

"Exactly." Jesse nodded.

XXXXXX

"Alright just stay in view of the window okay?" Aubrey called as Cody literally launched himself off of the porch into the snow.

"Okay!" He called back and Aubrey smiled as she walked back into the cabin.

"He said they got a few rabbits so I'm going to start a pot of water." She said and Beca nodded.

"Soup seems to be the best way to go. It lasts a few days at least." Beca said as she helped Chloe to sit up.

Aubrey nodded. "And there is still a few cans of mixed vegetables and some herbs so it won't taste too bad."

Beca let Aubrey go about preparing the soup and turned her attention back to Chloe.

"Okay baby, lets do this as carefully as possible." She said and Chloe nodded as she turned and laid her upper half on the couch, on her stomach.

Beca moved off of the couch and helped her get her legs up and comfortable.

"Are you okay?" She asked gently rubbing her hand over her sore back.

She nodded as she nuzzled into a pillow. "Yeah, just please be gentle?"

"Only ever gentle with you." Beca smiled softly as she lifted her shirt up as high as she could and looked over her back. It was still bruised pretty badly and Beca let out a breath as she looked over the blue and purple blemishes that covered Chloes once flawless skin.

"Okay, I'll be back." She said and stood up to grab an old grocery bag from the kitchen before going outside.

Cody ran over when the door opened, his cheeks pink and out of breath.

"Hey dude. You having fun?"

"Yeah I'm building an igloo, see?" He pointed to his right and Beca looked to see he was in fact building a little igloo in the snow.

"That's awesome!" She smiled as she stepped out into the snow and began shoveling some into the bag.

"Is that for Chloes back?" He asked as he dropped down beside her and helped.

"It is." She nodded.

"Is she feeling any better?"

"She is starting to. She walked from one couch to the other today." She said and he smiled.

"That's good! Was she happy?" He asked standing up once the bag was full.

"She was very happy." She nodded. "How about you Cody?"

"What?" He asked.

"Are you happy? Here with us?" She asked and watched as his face softened and he nodded.

"Yeah I am. I was scared being by myself and I was hungry all the time. But you guys take care of me and I pretend like we are just camping. Like there aren't any of them out there. And when there are, I know you guys will keep them away. You are nice people."

Beca couldn't stop the sudden onslaught of emotion that hit her. She had been nervous when Cody first came. They had barely been able to care for themselves let alone a small child, not that she would ever have turned him away. But now, hearing how comfortable he was and how safe they made him feel she didn't feel anything but love and the fierce need to ensure he continued to feel safe and happy with them.

"You're a good kid Cody and we really love having you here. We are a family and I think you are just what we needed to complete it." She smiled and kneeled down opening her arms.

He smiled widely and instantly threw himself into her embrace. She held him tightly, unsure of when she became so touchy. Chloe, she guessed and smiled as she gave him another squeeze.

"We are having soup for supper, but if you get too cold before then, please come back in okay? We don't want you getting sick too." She said standing back up.

"Okay, I will." He said and stood back.

She smiled at him and stood up, grabbing the bag of snow and heading toward the door.

"Hey Beca?" He called and she turned slightly to look at him.

"I uh...I love you. Thank you for taking care of me."

Beca felt her heart beat hard in her chest and her eyes grow hot with tears.

"I love you too, Cody. We will always take care of you." She said and he gave her one last smile before heading back to work on his igloo.

She went back inside and closed the door, leaning back against it and collecting herself. Aubrey looked up and saw this and gave her a curious look.

"You okay?" She asked and Chloe lifted her head to look at her.

"Yeah, I uh, I'm good. Cody he," She started and stepped away from the door. "He just told me that he loves me."

Aubrey smiled and Chloe laid her head back down, her own lips curved into a soft smile.

"He said he was happy here and that we make him feel safe."

She said as she knelt beside the couch.

"That's so sweet." Aubrey said as she lifted a can of veggies and poured them into a pot.

"You're such a softie." Chloe said lightly and Beca blushed looking down as she tied the bag of snow.

She felt cold fingers on her cheek and looked up to see Chloe smiling at her as she ran her fingers along her jaw.

"You did this to me." She whispered playfully as she leaned in to give her a kiss.

Chloe closed her eyes and tucked her hand under her chin.

"Here," Beca said and grabbed the blanket from the other couch tucking it around her upper half. "This is gonna be cold, are you ready?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah go for it."

Beca lifted the bag and gently laid it on her back.

She shivered instantly and Beca frowned knowing that she was already cold enough without the snow but she knew she also needed it on her sore back.

"I'm sorry love, just ten minutes then we will use heat okay?"

"Okay." Chloe nodded as another shiver ran through her.

Beca sighed and pulled her hands back, blowing hot air into them and rubbing them together before gently rubbing them over the exposed unbruised skin of Chloes upper back.

"That feels nice." She said tiredly and Beca continued to rub warmth into her soft skin.

Aubrey looked up and grinned at the two. She couldn't have picked a better person to care for Chloe other than herself. Beca was great to her, and as her best friend it's all she wanted, to watch her be treated so well. After seeing the way and experiencing how Luke treated her, seeing her so nervous and scared all of the time, this was all she wanted for her. To be loved and cared for and she knew that Beca loved her, she knew that she would give her life protecting Chloe and that she already almost had.

The sound of footsteps on the porch made her look away from them and to the door as it opened.

"Look what we have." Jesse said and they both looked, aside from Chloe who was dozing off.

He held two rabbits in his hands and moved aside as Stacie walked in, pulling a deer behind her. It wasn't huge, but it was big enough to feed them for a few days as well as give some meat for the trade.

"What is it?" Chloe asked, her voice sleepy as she kept her eyes closed.

Beca never stopped rubbing her hands over her back and looked down at her. "Two rabbits and a deer." She said and watched Chloe smile.

"We will have something to give them when they come back." She said and Beca nodded leaning down to press her lips to Chloes temple.

"Yes we will. Get some sleep love, I'll keep you warm and when you wake up we will have hot soup to eat."

It took only moments for Chloe to fall into a blissful sleep. Her muscles relaxing under Becas touch, the soreness being numbed by the snow. Beca stayed right where she was and removed the snow after a while, laying a hot, damp towel from a pot in the fire over her back and continuing her gentle massage.

XXXXXX

It was around noon the next day when another three loud knocks sounded on the door.

Chloe was sitting up, a hot cup of tea in her hands and Beca standing behind her, behind the couch, braiding her hair to keep it from knotting.

Jesse peeked out the window and smiled before moving to unlock and open the door.

"Hello Jesse." Ryan stepped in with Eli and another man. All wearing large backpacks. Cody walked in, climbing onto a stool by the counter.

"We have brought you some supplies and some more food." He said making his way over to the counter. "This is our nurse I told you about." He motioned to the man.

They all looked at him. "Hi, I'm James, I hear one of you had a nasty fall."

Beca tied Chloes hair and moved around the couch. "Chloe fell from a tree." She said and he walked over.

"And you're Chloe?" He asked looking her over. She nodded and took Becas hand.

"Do you mind if I have a look?" He asked and Chloe looked at Beca nervously.

"Don't worry Chlo." She said and looked at James. "He won't hurt you."

James could recognize a warning when one was given and smiled lightly.

"Of course not. I'd just like to take a look and make sure everything is healing."

She took a breath and nodded, allowing them both to help her onto her stomach.

Jesse, Aubrey and Stacie were in the kitchen helping Eli and Ryann empty the bags.

"We brought more eggs, the chickens are laying them by the dozens right now. Some potatoes, an onion." Ryann listed off as he emptied his bag.

"Also some more cough syrup, probably a bit stronger than what you're using. And some pain killers. The bottles are marked. Simple plain relievers and some stronger ones. Also, we have some kids back home and we mentioned Cody to them." He said and Beca glanced up at him as she stood beside Chloe.

"They wanted to know if he had any toys and were kind enough to send these." He said pulling out a small bag.

Inside was a few cars, action figures and a book. Cody's eyes brightened as he was handed the bag and Beca smiled.

"Wow thank you!" He said excitedly. "Please tell those kids I said thank you?" He said jumping down. "Can I go play with these in our room?" He asked Jesse.

"Sure I'll come get you for supper." He said and they watched as Cody ran down the hall.

Chloe winced as James pressed on her back and he apologized. "Nothing seems broken, which is lucky. You could have cracked your ribs in a fall like that. I'm sure your muscles are very tight and the bruising is likely causing a lot of the pain."

He pulled her shirt back down and Beca helped her to sit back up. It was getting easier every time.

"I've been alternating snow and hot towels." Beca said and he nodded.

"That's good, that will help. We brought pain killers too, I'd recommend using them if it gets to tough. How long have you been stuck on the couch?"

"This is day three, I think." Chloe said and he nodded.

"Can you walk?"

"I walked from that couch, to this one yesterday."

"Okay I need you to start walking farther, it's going to hurt and I don't mean to push yourself and make it worse but it will help the healing process to move around and stretch your muscles."

"Okay, I will thank you."

Stacie had opened their cooler and pulled out a plastic bag.

"This is for you." She said and handed t to Ryann.

"Meat?" He asked as he opened it.

"I got a deer yesterday. That's seventy five percent of it. If you're interested we also have the skin drying as well as two rabbit skins."

"You keep those, they will be good to keep you warm." He said. "I appreciate this however." He lifted the bag before loading it into his backpack.

"Did you keep some for yourselves, enough to get you by?"

"We did." Aubrey nodded. "You've been very gracious."

"Just take care of yourselves." He said "And take care of those ones." He motioned to Chloe and the direction Cody ran.

"We don't know how long this snow will last, so for now, please hunt for yourselves only. We have also been lucky enough to get a few deer and our vegetables are growing well. We will come back in a week with more milk and eggs. All we ask for is some water, and please only that. We can't help each other in the warm months if you lose your health now."

"You are a blessing Ryann, really." Stacie said. "We are lucky to have met you."

"Same to you." He nodded.

"Oh, here." He said grabbing the bag that James had set down.

"Here are some candles and a lighter. I noticed it was pretty dark the other night."

Stacie took them gratefully. "Thank you."

"Maybe we can discuss a travel party for the spring?" He asked. "It'll be a two week long supply run, would you be interested?" He asked Jesse.

"Of course yeah."

Beca looked at him, worry evident on her face. "We will discuss the details later. You guys enjoy." He said and James grabbed the empty bag and followed him to the door.

"Thank you, again." Aubrey smiled, placing the food they had brought where it went, already planning what she would make.

"You got it." He nodded as they walked out.

Jesse walked over, locking the door.

"How did this suddenly become so easy?" Chloe asked and they all looked at her.

"It's almost too easy."

Beca sat beside her. "It seems like it doesn't it? But we had something to give them, so we don't owe. Don't worry yourself, love. Enjoy this, focus on getting better okay? We are alright."

Chloe nodded and tucked her head under Becas chin nuzzling her neck.

"I love you. Can I try to walk to our room tonight? I'd like to sleep next to you again."

"If you think you can." Beca said softly, playing with Chloes fingers.

"I can. I'm feeling better."

"That's good." Beca smiled and reached her finger under Chloes chin tilting her face up to kiss her softly. "I love you too."

The cabin was relaxed. Cody was playing with his new toys, Beca and Chloe were cuddled on the couch talking quietly. Stacie and Aubrey were in the kitchen, deciding what to make for supper and Jesse was building the fire up.

It did seem too easy. They went from being hostages, nearly dead not that long ago, to living in a warm cabin, with food coming in steadily. Tension free. Relationships growing stronger, everyone happier than they had been in years.

Everyone was scared. Scared that this had a limit. That something was coming. No one wanted to say it out loud but they all felt it.

Though, however scared they may be, they wouldn't let it cloud the good thing they had.

Food, shelter and each other. The world might have ended, but it wasn't too late to rebuild it.

A/N: Please review?


	54. Melt

Beca watched with proud but cautious eyes as Chloe limped her way down the hall toward the kitchen.

It had been a week and a half since the trade. Chloe made sure she did as James said and started walking around the next day. It hurt at first and Beca had made her lay back down after only ten minutes. She acted upset, but was secretly grateful. It had been truly painful, but she was doing her best to remain strong.

Beca never said anything but Chloe knew she was aware of it. She loved her even more for her silent understanding.

Beca had helped her into a hot bath that night, and it did wonders relaxing her muscles. A few pain killers had been needed and her cough still lingered, but she was up and moving unassisted.

It only snowed once more, since the last big downfall, and it had all started to melt. What they feared to be a rare bad winter, only lasted a couple weeks. As it usually did in Georgia.

They had gotten into a routine of taking turns hunting. Aubrey had designated herself as the meal maker, and Jesse had been spending time teaching Cody various things. from how to start a fire, to gutting an animal.

It was one of the first days, that the sun was able to fully break through the thick grey clouds and it shown through the windows.

"Good morning." Beca smiled as Chloe made her way into the room.

"Morning." She said as she walked up to her, giving her a soft kiss before glancing around the empty kitchen and living room.

"Where is everybody?" She asked plucking a tea bag out of the jar on the counter.

"Aubrey and Stacie went out to do a perimeter check, and Jesse and Cody went to make sure the snow didn't cause any damage to the bridge."

She nodded as she prepared a small pot of water to take to the fire to boil.

"Have you eaten?" She asked as she carried it out of the kitchen.

"No, I was waiting for you." Beca said pushing herself away from the counter she had been leaning against.

She watched as Chloe carefully leaned down to place the pot on the grate in the fire. She straightened up slowly and Beca could tell she was sore.

"Do you need anything?" She asked softly walking over to her, her hand resting gently on her back.

She turned with a tired smile. "No love. Just a little stiff, from sleeping."

"What about a hot bath?" Beca asked, as she rubbed her hand over her lower back.

Chloe chuckled. "Ive already had a bath this week. We cant afford to use that much water."

"We have the river, its an unlimited supply. If it will help you to feel better, you should have one."

Chloe looked down. "One bath a week." She said, pecking Beca on the lips before moving around her.

"Come on, lets have breakfast."

XXXXXX

Stacie smiled as she watched Aubrey look around the forest with unguarded eyes. The trees dripped with melting snow and the sun radiated a comfortable warmth.

The perimeter was secure and they had spoken about a few new sound traps, and traps in general. They could clearly see where something had passed through, maybe even tried to get passed the perimeter but failed, and moved on.

Now, Stacie leaned back against a tree, her cross bow down by her side as she watched Aubrey look around with wonder.

"I love days like this." She said softly and Stacie hummed.

"The first sunny day after bad weather. It's still quiet, calm." She said running her fingers over the branches of a frost bitten bush. She looked at Stacie, a soft smile on her face.

Stacie returned the smile and reached her hand out. "Come here."

Aubrey looked down as she made her way over to the girl. When she reached her, she placed her hand in Stacie's only to be pulled into her.

"I love days like this too." She said. "I love how peaceful it is. Almost like nothing ever happened."

Aubrey wrapped her arms around Stacie's neck as she let hers rest on Aubrey's waist.

"You know, if this hadn't happened, we wouldn't have known each other." Aubrey mused and Stacie nodded.

"That's true. I guess it's worth it, in a way. I miss my family, and I wish I hadn't done some of the things I have. I'd take away all the hurt we have felt, but, at the same time, I love our family. I'm proud of it, of us. We are strong and safe."

Aubrey leaned in, pressing her lips against Stacie's. "Me too, we are lucky. And there is no one else I'd want to be with, during an apocalypse, than you and our family."

Stacie chuckled returning her kiss.

"Come on, lets head back." She said taking Aubrey's hand and grabbing her bow.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Aubrey spoke again.

"You know, all we really need now, to complete our family is a dog."

The area was filled with Stacie's laughter as they walked back to the cabin.

XXXXXX

"Why can't we cross the bridge? The other people come from that way right? It can't be very dangerous." Cody said as he walked off the bridge toward Jesse and the cabin.

"Because, we don't know exactly what is over there, and with the bad weather it's not safe or smart to go wandering into an unknown area. Maybe in the summer we will check it out, but for now everything we need is on this side of the river." Jesse explained, his hand on Cody's small shoulder as they walked the trail back toward the cabin.

"Maybe the next time they come for a trade they can take us over there. They know what's on that side."

Jesse sighed and looked down at him. He wasn't giving up that was for sure and Jesse found it amusing.

"That's true. They do, but like I said. Maybe in the summer."

"Maybe we can go to their camp someday too? Ryann said there are other kids, like me." He said as Jesse lifted him over a fallen tree.

"Maybe someday." Jesse nodded.

"They could show us where they get all the food."

"They grow it, just like we will do once the weather gets better." Jesse explained.

"If we grow our own food then, we won't need to trade anymore?"

Jesse hummed. "No, we will. They will still need water and we have been spoiled with fresh milk and eggs." He said poking at Cody's side and he laughed as they stepped into the clearing.

Across from them, Stacie and Aubrey were also walking toward the cabin.

Cody took of toward them and Jesse smiled as they met and Aubrey scooped him off the ground. The clearing was filled with more laughter, this time from Cody as they entered the house.

XXXXXX

"This is the last of the potatoes and milk they brought ." Aubrey said as she poured milk into the bowl of potatoes she was mashing.

"No more coffee." Chloe sighed as she cut up a carrot to boil.

"You could drink it black, like Jesse and Stacie." Cody said and Chloe made a disgusted face.

"You've done it before." Beca smiled walking in, holding a plate of freshly cooked deer meat.

"I wasn't spoiled with milk, then." She pointed out and they laughed.

"Meat is done." Beca said setting it down.

"Potatoes are almost ready, and the carrots need to boil for a bit." Aubrey said. "This is going to be a nice dinner."

"I can't wait." Cody said looking over the food.

"Maybe after dinner, Chloe, you can have that bath." Beca said not looking up, but knowing Chloes smile was gone, replaced with an unamused look.

"We talked about this. One bath a week." Chloe said, dropping the carrots into a pot and standing up to limp over to the fire.

"Come on, Chlo. You're hurting and you can't deny that it really helped you. I'll give up my bath so you can have another one if it helps." Chloe set the pot in the fire and turned around, with a huff.

"No, Beca. I'll be fine with another pain killer and a warm towel." She said and Aubrey quietly watched the two.

Cody has gone silent as well. Stacie and Jesse who were working on keeping inventory of what they had also looked up.

Beca sighed. "But-"

"Dammit Beca, I said no. Multiple times, will you please leave it alone?" She snapped and walked out of the living room toward their bedroom.

Aubrey looked back down into her bowl and Jesse watched as Beca looked around for a moment before turning and grabbing the bottle of pain killers out of the cupboard and a bottle of water.

Everyone was quiet as she left the room and walked towards the bedroom.

Chloe ignored her as she walked in.

"I'm not trying to make you mad. I just want to help."

Chloe turned around from where she was pulling a sweater out of the dresser.

"If I say no, it means no. Please don't push things." She said and Beca looked down and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I won't." She said and looked back up. "Here." She held out the bottle.

Chloe looked at it, then at Beca, and sighed.

She walked toward her and took the bottle, tossing it onto the bed and Beca had turned to leave when Chloe caught her arm.

"Don't go, I'm sorry." She said and Beca looked at her.

"I was just tying to help."

"I know." Chloe said. "I'm sorry I got angry I'm just... I'm frustrated. Everyone is helping out, doing perimeter checks, hunting... and I'm stuck inside, staying warm and being useless."

Becas brow furrowed. "Hey," She said. "That's not true at all, Chloe you're not useless. You're hurt and no one is upset with you for it."

She nodded. "I know that, I just, I want to be able to help."

"You're helping Aubrey make dinner." Beca pointed out and Chloe rolled her eyes.

"I cut up some carrots." She said. "That's hardly helping. Cody is doing more than I am."

Beca smirked and wrapped her arms around her.

"Cody didn't fall twenty feet onto a tree branch. You did." She said. "And you're getting better everyday."

"Yeah." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just ready to be able to walk normally again. And contribute."

"You will, soon." Beca said and pressed her lips against Chloes.

She kissed her back, deepening it and walking backwards toward the bed. Beca followed, and gently helped her to lay down on it.

She leaned over her, matching her soft smile as Chloe reached up to caress her face.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said and Chloe smiled.

"You won't," She said, pulling Beca down so she lay on her.

"I promise if it hurts I'll stop you," She said against Becas lips, and relaxed even further when she felt Beca let her weight rest again her.

The kiss deepened and the fight was forgotten.

XXXXXX

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." Chloe said as she laid back into the tub, hot water lapping around her.

"I didn't give you much of a choice," Beca winked and Chloe rolled her eyes as she let the hot water relax her muscles.

Beca gently ran a washcloth over her arms as she knelt outside the tub and Chloes eyes closed.

She couldn't even bring herself to be mad. Beca was right, her back was already feeling better. Being submerged in the hot water did help.

She did decide however, that the next time she had Beca alone, she would get her back. Definitely in the best way possible.

A/N: That's about all the fluff I have in me. Please review?


End file.
